Continuing their road trip, Binghamton women’s basketball took on Akron on Thursday, barely defeating the Zips by a score of 95-94 in a double-overtime thriller. Junior guard Bella Pucci shattered her previous career high with 29 points on the night, further continuing her hot start to the 2025-26 season.

“To play a tough, tough team like Akron, I mean, they gave us everything they had, it was an unbelievable game on both sides,” said Binghamton head coach Mary Grimes. “Great coaching by [Akron head coach Ryan Gensler] and great fight by them, but I think at the end of the day we were able to pull together.”

Akron (0-5) shot out to an early lead thanks to back-to-back layups off their first two possessions, and quickly established a 14-2 lead less than halfway through the first quarter. A layup from junior guard Leah Middleton and a pair of successful free throws from freshman guard Klarissa Goode helped settle things a little for the Bearcats (3-2), but the Zips continued to tack on points, maintaining a 20-12 lead as the first quarter came to a close.

The second quarter looked to be more of the same, with Akron scoring another six unanswered points and establishing a 14-point lead, while the Bearcats continued to struggle offensively. Binghamton finally brought the game to nine points as the first half came to a close, with the final score coming from a layup from junior forward Kendall Bennett, making it 38-29 at the half.

“We were able to turn a page from our last game, and then really focus on what we needed to do, and get [Bennett] the ball,” Grimes said. “But I think unbelievably she rebounded. Scoring was going to come, but there were huge rebounds for her.”

Binghamton opened the second half with back-to-back layups from Middleton and junior guard Yanniah Boyd, bringing the Bearcats within five of their opponents, but Akron quickly responded with a three. Scoring was limited over the next several minutes before Binghamton went on an eight-point run and brought the game within two. The two teams continued to trade points before a successful and-one from Bennett eventually tied the game at 46-46.

Despite the tie, Akron maintained its lead heading into the fourth, with both teams trading points and Binghamton consistently trailing shortly behind. A three-pointer from Middleton tied the game at 63-63, but Akron responded with a 12-6 scoring run to go up 75-69 with 13 seconds left on the clock. Pucci came in clutch for the Bearcats, however, scoring back-to-back three pointers, including a buzzer beater, to send her team into overtime.

“I’ve just been imploring [Pucci] to be a leader, to be a scorer, and she can do this every game,” Grimes said. “It’s fun to watch, it’s fun to coach.”

As the first period of overtime began, Akron once again took an early lead, scoring the first points of overtime and eventually taking an 80-77 lead. Pucci once again tied the game with a three, but Akron continued to fight back. Another three from senior guard Meghan Casey put Binghamton in the lead, but Akron went up two thanks to a three of their own. Boyd, this time, hit the game-tying shot, with a layup coming from the guard in the final second of the period, sending the game into double overtime at a score of 85-85.

Akron continued to take early leads to start the period, outscoring the Bearcats 7-3. A layup from Casey saw the Bearcats within two, but two free throws from the Zips put them back up four. It was once again Pucci who continued to save the Bearcats, hitting three straight free throws followed by a layup to put the Bearcats up 95-94 with five seconds remaining, ending the thriller in Akron.

“It took everybody, [Casey] stepped up huge, [freshman guard Carletta Bennett] stepped up huge,” Grimes said. “Everybody did their job. We wanted it, we willed ourselves to that win.”

Pucci, who put up an aforementioned career-best 29 points, also earned seven rebounds for the team. Kendall Bennett led the team with 14 rebounds and contributed 19 points, earning her second double-double of the season. Middleton posted an additional 15 points for the Bearcats, while Boyd tallied three steals and seven rebounds. Despite the Bearcats having six different players foul out, they still managed to leave with a win.

“It was huge,” Pucci said. “It took the entire team. We had five people out — we had literally five people left in the whole game. People fouled out, but we told each other we’re going to have each other’s back no matter what, and we’re going to win this game, and we did, and it took everybody. It wasn’t just me.”

The Bearcats will continue their road trip as they take on Columbia on Monday, Nov. 24. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on the Schiller Court at the Francis S. Levien Gymnasium in Manhattan, New York.