Game Stats

Contact: John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Host Providence (2-0) began the second half with a 22-3 run and the Friars withstood a determined effort from Binghamton men's basketball (0-2) in a 66-45 win Monday night from the Dunkin' Donuts Center. The Bearcats kept within striking range into the early minutes of the second half before fouls (7 called in first 4 minutes of half) and a poor shooting stretch allowed the reigning Big East champion Friars to pull away.

"There were some real positives," head coach Tommy Dempsey said. "You're never happy to lose by 20 but we fought really hard and played good defense. We found great rhythm at the end of the first half ... halftime actually hurt us. The turnovers were costly and led to a lot of their points and I think we also got a little tired in the second half. But we hung with it, kept fighting and I thought collectively we looked like a much better team than Friday (at Notre Dame). Now we have to get some rest tomorrow and try to get a win on our home court Wednesday."

The Bearcats struggled with Providence's size and trapping during the early stages of the game. Binghamton hit just 1-of-10 to start and committed 10 turnovers in the game's first 12 minutes. But trailing 25-8 midway through the half, BU caught fire. Freshman guard Romello Walker keyed a 14-2 run with two steals and six points and five different players scored as BU stormed back by hitting 6-of-7 shots during the run. The Bearcats then held firm in the final two minutes and scored the final seven points of the half, trimming their deficit to just four, 33-29, at the break. Binghamton hit 11-of-16 after the slow start (69%).

Sophomore forward Nick Madray hit a pair of three-pointers and put a game-high 10 on the board at the break. Sophomore guard Yosef Yacob had seven points and Walker added six.

But the Friars quickly took control in the second half and used a 16-1 run to extend their lead. The hosts hit 8-of-11 during a stretch that also saw the Bearcats misfire on 14 straight from the floor. Providence held a 49-26 advantage on the glass and forced 17 BU turnovers.

Freshman forward Dusan Perovic tallied 11 straight BU points late in the game and scored 11 of his team-high 13 points in the second half. Perovic hit 6-of-11 from the floor and added two boards, a block and a steal in 29 minutes. Madray wound up with 10 points.

Binghamton next hosts Hartwick in its home opener at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Events Center.