The Binghamton women’s basketball team fought back after a slow start against Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday night. Down by 15 points at halftime, the Bearcats (2-5) rallied to an 80-69 victory, notching their largest comeback victory since transitioning to Division I in 2001.
“We fought back, and I think that we showed a lot of heart and intensity in the second half,” said BU head coach Linda Cimino. “Some key contributors really stepped up; obviously [junior guard] Imani [Watkins], [redshirt sophomore guard] Jasmine [Sina] and [junior center] Alyssa [James], but the kids were really excited and happy and we’re hoping we can use that momentum in the next few games we have.”
The Bearcats improved defensively in the second half, holding FDU (2-5) to 16 points in the third and just three points in the fourth. Watkins scored 25 points and reached 20 points for the fifth straight game this season to set a new BU record. James also poured in the points, scoring a season-high 19.
“We just started playing a lot more fluently; we started playing with each other instead of against each other,” James said. “It was so much better, talking offensively and defensively. I think that’s what helped us do so much better in the second half.”
The first half was tough for the Bearcats as they struggled with turnovers early. The come-from-behind win proved to be a team effort, as the Bearcats maintained their offensive performance while shutting down the Knights.
The Bearcats pushed the pace in the third quarter to pull within eight points of FDU. The definitive turning point came in the fourth when BU went on a 11-0 run to open the quarter. Watkins, who tallied 16 of her 25 in the first half, also added a career-high five blocks on the night.
“We scored off their turnovers and we had a couple of key defensive stops,” Cimino said. “[Freshman guard] Kai Moon played phenomenal defense and Imani [Watkins] played phenomenal defense. I think at halftime the players talked a little bit before the coaches got in there, and they agreed that they had to defend better in the second half … and they did just that.”
James also played a crucial role in BU’s scoring frenzy, despite seeing limited minutes.
“Alyssa [James] got into some early foul trouble and some other players stepped up while she was on the bench, but we knew we had the advantage with her inside,” Cimino said. “[James] is a big presence inside; she’s hard to defend and she’s improving every day offensively.”
Moving forward, the Bearcats will look to replicate their third and fourth-quarter defensive performances.
“Our team has a lot of heart and at halftime we all talked — especially the captains — about how we have to bring in the underclassmen and play with confidence the whole game, and in the second half we showed that,” Sina said.
The Bearcats are set to play NJIT on Tuesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center in Newark, New Jersey.