With wins over Delaware State and Fairleigh Dickinson this past week, the Binghamton women’s basketball team continued its strongest start in the team’s Division I era. The Bearcats (6-0) were led once again by senior guard Kai Moon, who scored her 1,000th career point against Fairleigh Dickinson.
“My teammates had told me how many points I needed, and at halftime they all let me know [I had scored 1,000], but for the most part I had no idea,” Moon said. “They’re a tough team, they played us all the way to the end. They’re not what their record shows they are, so for us to come in here and get a win is really big for us.”
Adding to the team’s milestones, Moon became the 18th player in program history to reach the 1,000-point landmark. Moon was able to score 22 of 60 total points against the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (0-5), crossing the 1,000-point threshold with a 3-pointer in the second quarter. With 1,013 points in her career, she needs seven more points to enter 16th place in the Bearcats’ all-time scoring records. Currently averaging 24.2 points per game, Moon leads the conference in points scored and 3-pointers made, with 25.
Behind Moon, junior forward Olivia Ramil scored 14 points in the game. Her sister, sophomore forward Annie Ramil, collected eight rebounds, tied for a team-high in the game with senior guard Karlee Krchnavi.
“We’re just focused in on getting better every game, keep piling on these wins,” Olivia Ramil said. “We’ve got a really special team and I’m happy to be a part of it.”
On Thursday against the Hornets (3-3), the Bearcats scored 70 or more points for the fifth straight game, tallying 75 on the back of strong free-throw shooting. After trailing in the first quarter, the team was able to convert 77 percent of its shots in the second quarter to take a 42-33 halftime lead. The lead held, with both teams scoring the same number of points in the second half, ending in a 75-66 win for Binghamton.
“The girls really pulled it together and took care of each other,” said Binghamton head coach Bethann Shapiro Ord. “On the road, you can’t leave it in anyone else’s hands but yourself.”
Senior guard Carly Boland scored a team-high 19 points in 38 minutes. In what was their second contest on the road this year, the Bearcats were able to stay confident despite being away from home.
“We don’t usually do the best on the road, so it was nice to get a win,” Boland said. “The atmosphere was crazy but I think we thrived in it … I just knew we needed someone to keep everyone together and to take control of the game, so I try my best to do that.”
Freshman guard Zahra Barnes and freshman guard Denai Bowman also posted notable results in the game. Barnes scored 10 points, hitting double digits for the first time in her career, and Bowman scored eight points and collected seven rebounds.
Following victories over the Hornets and the Knights, the Bearcats have an opportunity to equal the second-best start in program history, 7-0, with a win against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies on Wednesday. The Bonnies (1-5) have defeated Binghamton in their past nine matchups, dating back to 2007. However, the Bearcats have a legitimate shot at matching the 1996-97 women’s basketball team’s 7-0 start. They also have an opportunity to break their record for consecutive wins in the NCAA Division I era, which they are currently tied for at six. This game will be followed by a test against Eastern Michigan at home on Sunday.
Tipoff against the Bonnies is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27 at the Events Center in Vestal, New York.