The Binghamton men’s basketball team kicked off a two-game road trip Thursday night with an 88-82 loss at UNH. The Bearcats squandered an 18-point advantage early in the second half, falling in triple overtime with only five eligible players in the final minute of the match.

Binghamton (4-17, 0-6 AE) built a 6-2 lead following layups from junior forward Zyier Beverly and junior guard Jeremiah Quigley. The Bearcats continued to tack on points, building to a double-digit advantage with an and-one layup from graduate student guard Jackson Benigni. The Wildcats (6-12, 1-4 AE) soon cut their deficit to four, but Binghamton responded with a 9-0 run capped off with a contested rebound from junior guard Bryson Wilson. Senior guard Wes Peterson Jr. closed out the half with a three-pointer, making it a 40-26 Binghamton advantage.

The Bearcats continued where they left off in the first half, scoring on their first two possessions and growing the lead to 44-26. UNH began to chip away at its deficit, but Peterson found an open Wilson to make it 51-36 with just over 12 minutes in the half. The Wildcats broke into two-possession territory with an 11-2 run before holding the Bearcats scoreless over the next four minutes, taking a 57-55 lead with under a minute to play. A last possession dunk from Beverly tied the match as the Bearcats’ defense held on to force overtime.

The Wildcats opened the first overtime period with a three-pointer, but seven consecutive points from Peterson gave Binghamton possession and a four-point lead with a minute remaining. UNH, however, continued to fight back, forcing a second overtime with a 4-0 run.

A pair of free throws from Quigley opened the scoring book in the second overtime, but the foes traded leads throughout. While Bearcats soon trailed by three points with 23 seconds remaining, another key scoring run from Peterson made the score 75-75, forcing a third overtime.

Binghamton began its first third overtime in 25 years, now with just six eligible players. The Bearcats soon trailed, but a key floater and three-pointer from Beverly put the Bearcats ahead 80-79. The Wildcats capitalized on a series of Binghamton turnovers to take an 85-80 lead before a retaliatory layup from Peterson brought the Bearcats within three. Beverly fouled out on the next possession, leaving the Bearcats without a presence in the paint as they surrendered three straight free throws, falling 88-82.

Peterson led the Bearcats with a career-high 28 points, along with three assists and a rebound. Beverly secured a double-double with a 19-point, 11-rebound night, while Quigley posted a game-high eight assists alongside eight rebounds and 14 points.

The Bearcats will continue their away stretch against Maine on Saturday, Jan. 24. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine.