With 5:09 left, freshman guard Carly Boland sunk a three from the left wing to knot the score at 58, keeping the Binghamton women’s basketball team’s hopes of a comeback alive. As the clock wound down, though, the Bearcats (8-9, 3-1 AE) unraveled, missing shots and turning the ball over before falling to New Hampshire, 70-62, on Saturday afternoon.
The loss snapped BU’s three-game winning streak and marked its first conference loss this season. The Bearcats started 3-0 in the America East for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
The game got off to an ugly start for the Bearcats, who trailed by as many as 10 in the first period. The Wildcats (14-3, 4-0 AE) penetrated BU’s zone defense early, scoring six straight before BU could respond. Even after switching up their defensive positioning, the Bearcats struggled, finishing the frame behind, 25-15.
“Our defense was on and off sometimes; sometimes we were up, sometimes we were down and that was really our focus this game,” said BU junior forward Alyssa James. “We need to pick up our defense.”
After outscoring the Wildcats, 21-15, in the second quarter, BU cut the deficit to just four at halftime. James and junior guard Imani Watkins led BU’s offense, draining 21 points each. Notably absent from the scoresheet was redshirt sophomore guard Jasmine Sina, who played 32 minutes but took just six shots.
The Bearcats gave up 18 points off of 15 turnovers. According to BU head coach Linda Cimino, her team’s weak ball-handling was the difference in the game.
“The difference today was turnovers,” she said. “I told them today at halftime, ‘If you don’t turn the ball over, this team can’t score.’ We’ve got to take better care of the ball.”
Missing from BU’s usual repertoire was its ability to make 3-pointers. BU leads the America East with 132 threes, but scored just two against the Wildcats.
“We’ve got to do a better job of not taking contested 3-pointers,” Cimino said. “Our game plan was to rip attack and get to the basket because this team had a difficult time defending us and keeping us in front.”
BU almost tied it up on one of these threes at the end of the third quarter, when Watkins sunk one to close the gap to 50-49.
“[The comeback attempt] showed that we’re willing to fight,” James said. “For the past couple of years, we’ve been the underdog, but this year we’re coming out, we’re ready to win the America East Championship.”
After Boland’s game-tying shot in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats quickly regained control of the game, going on an 11-2 run to secure their seventh straight victory. Junior guards Brittni Lai and teammate Kat Fogarty paced UNH with 18 and 17 points, respectively.
Despite the loss, Cimino remains confident in BU’s ability to contend at a high level.
“We know we’re capable of playing with anybody, and if that’s the best team in the conference, then we’re right there at the top,” she said.
BU is set to return to the court on Thursday against reigning conference champion Albany. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Events Center in Vestal, New York.