While basketball is all about chemistry between the five players on the floor, sometimes it’s the brilliant play of one or two individuals that can push a team over the hump. This much was clear on Wednesday at the Events Center, as the Binghamton women’s basketball team (13-15, 8-7 America East) was carried to a 70-56 victory over UMBC (17-11, 8-7 AE), thanks to career-high scoring performances from both sophomore guard Imani Watkins and freshman forward Rebecca Carmody, who scored 30 and 22 points respectively.
The win marks the first time the Bearcats have topped the Retrievers since the 2012-13 season and knots Binghamton in a three-way tie for third place in the conference standings with one regular-season game remaining.
“I’m really proud of our team,” BU head coach Linda Cimino said. “I thought we played an unbelievable second half and the kids did a good job pressuring the ball and getting some good steals.”
Watkins in particular displayed the lethal scoring touch that makes her so dangerous in the offensive. From the offset of the first quarter, it was obvious that the sharpshooter was feeling it. Watkins went an astounding 5-for-5 from 3-point range, finishing with 19 total points in the game’s opening period.
“Coach told us at shootaround that in order for us to win, we have to play inside-out and our guards are going to have to hit some shots,” Watkins said. “The ball was in my hands. I hit the first couple and it felt really good.”
The punishing post play of UMBC junior forward Pandora Wilson, however, was enough to keep the Retrievers in the contest, finishing the first quarter trailing Binghamton, 23-14.
The second quarter was all about the road team. After utilizing a box-and-one defense — with four players in a zone defense while one was in man-to-man — to quiet the red-hot Watkins, UMBC began to cut into the Binghamton lead and eventually flipped the scoreboard in its favor. The Retrievers used their post play and aggressive drives to the basket to outscore the Bearcats, 18-8, in the second quarter and head into the locker room with a slender 32-31 lead.
As the third quarter commenced, Binghamton began to take advantage of a different offensive threat as Carmody sprang to life following a quiet first half. She hit multiple high-post jumpers and tormented the UMBC defense off the dribble, allowing BU to take and stretch the lead in the quarter.
“The first half, I struggled a little bit and at halftime, Coach said, ‘you need to shoot the ball for us to win,’” Carmody said. “The last time we went down to UMBC, it wasn’t a good game and we knew that we’re better than them. I needed to prove … I could shoot to get confident in myself and confidence for my team and it worked.”
Following a Watkins buzzer beater at the end of the quarter from well beyond the arc for her sixth 3-pointer of the night, the Bearcats were firmly in control once again, 52-44.
Binghamton outscored UMBC, 18-12, in the final quarter, comfortably earning a victory in its final home game of the season. The win raised the Bearcats’ home record to an impressive 10-3, their best mark at the Events Center in five years.
“We have amazing fans, so it’s fun to play at home,” Cimino said. “At one point, our crowd was standing up and clapping for us and I think that momentum filters back onto the court. I think the energy from the crowd and our great community helps us.”
Binghamton has just one game remaining in the regular season before it hosts the AE Women’s Basketball Tournament for the second consecutive year. Depending on the outcome of its final matchup against Maine, BU could enter the tournament with either the third, fourth or fifth seed.
The Bearcats are set to return to action on Saturday at Maine. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. from the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine.