The Binghamton women’s basketball team never held a lead against Vermont, suffering its eighth straight loss on Saturday afternoon. For the Catamounts (4-19, 1-10 America East), the win marked the first of the conference season and dropped the Bearcats (4-20, 2-9 AE) into eighth place in the league.
With her performance in the losing effort, freshman guard Jasmine Sina earned her second consecutive AE Rookie of the Week award, her fifth of the season. Sina scored 14 points in BU’s loss to Hartford on Wednesday and followed that up with a 22-point performance against Vermont, in which she knocked down five 3-pointers. The 5-foot-5 Lake Hoptacong native leads the team in scoring this season, averaging 14.9 points per game. She also ranks 11th in the nation in 3-pointers per game, currently pouring in an average of 2.96 per contest.
After the Catamounts jumped out to a 20-9 lead in the first half, it appeared that Vermont had the game in hand. But the Bearcats struck back, closing the gap to just two heading into halftime. BU shot 42 percent from the field in the first half.
In the second half, Binghamton managed to tie the score at 45 in the first five minutes, but the Catamounts pulled away quickly. Propelled by three 3-pointers from freshman guard Sydney Smith, Vermont answered with a 20-6 run to make the score 65-51 with six minutes to go. A late Bearcat push — in which Sina scored seven points — cut Vermont’s lead to five. However, time ran out for BU, and the Bearcats fell, 72-66.
Smith finished the game with 21 points and six rebounds, adding to the 43 points scored off of the Catamounts bench. Senior forward Kayla Burchill added 15 points and four rebounds. The Catamounts commanded the glass, pulling down 43 rebounds — including 15 on the offensive end, which led to 10 second-chance points. BU, on the other hand, managed to grab just 31.
Sina was joined in double-figure scoring by senior forward Sherae Swinson, who recorded her sixth career double-double on 12 points and 10 rebounds. Swinson became just the seventh BU player to record at least six career double-doubles during Binghamton’s Division I era. Freshman guard Imani Watkins also added 12 points.
The Bearcats continued their prowess at the charity stripe, nailing 19 of their 22 attempts.
Next up for BU is a trip to Albany on Wednesday to take on the defending America East champions in hopes of avenging an 82-49 loss on Jan. 14. Tip-off against the Great Danes (17-7, 10-1 AE) is set for noon at the SEFCU Arena in Albany.