Vestal, N.Y.--UMBC junior guard Chris De La
Rosa scored a career-high 31 points, but host Binghamton hit 13
three-point field goals and defeated the Retrievers, 83-75, before
4,246 fans at the Events Center.
The game was tied at 43-all after De La Rosa hit one free throw
at the 15:18 mark, but Bearcats went on a 12-2 run, and led, 55-45,
with 11:45 remaining in the half. The surge was sparked by a pair
of treys sandwiched around two fast break scores.
UMBC would cut the lead to seven points on five occasions in the
final four minutes, but could get no closer.
Forward Justin Fry tied his
season high with 16 points and added seven rebounds. Sophomore
guard Brian
Neller scored all of his 11 point in the second half.
Binghamton (6-10, 3-0 America East) hit 51 percent from the
floor, including 14 of 22 (63.6%) in the second half. They buried
13 of 33 shots from behind the arc. UMBC (1-5, 0-3) hit 28 of 61
shots (45.9%) from the field and did convert a season-best nine (of
20) treys.
UMBC led by as many as six points late in the first half at
33-27 after a foul line jumper by Adrian
Satchell at the 1:11 mark. But the Bearcats hit their sixth and
seventh treys of the half, including Robert Mansell's open
21-footer at the buzzer which tied the game at 33-all at
intermission.
Binghamton averaged 59.1 points per game and seven treys per
game entering play.
UMBC heads to Vermont for a Saturday matinee against the
Catamounts.
