Contact:
John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Junior guard
Marlon Beck netted game-high 24 points but host Buffalo had too much inside and fended off Binghamton men's basketball 80-64 Saturday afternoon at Alumni Arena. The game was broadcast on ESPN3, the third straight BU game to appear on an ESPN platform.
Beck tied his career-high with six three-pointers and BU (2-7) was within single digits late before the Bulls (5-5) scored the game's final nine points to secure the win.
"I thought Buffalo played very well," head coach Tommy Dempsey said. "We tried to fight all game long ... I thought every time it looked like they were going to push the lead up, our kids kept responding and made some big shots. But at the end of the day they were the stronger, more physical team and we just couldn't get enough stops." Freshman guard
Everson Davis (10 pt.) drove to the basket for a layup that pulled BU to within seven, 71-64, with 3:38 remaining. But BU had four misses and two turnovers the rest of the way and the responding 9-0 Bulls run ended it. Davis scored all of his points in the second half. Sophomore forward
Willie Rodriguez added 10 points.
Beck hit 7-of-16 from the field, including 6-of-13 from beyond the arc to surpass the 20-point mark for the fourth time in his career.
The Bearcats made 10-of-27 three-point shots but hit just 13-of-32 (41%) inside the arc against their bigger SUNY foes.
In the first half, BU led 15-14 before Buffalo used a 20-8 run to take control. The Bearcats closed the half with a 7-4 run and when Beck hit a three-pointer with two seconds left, BU was within eight, 38-30. Beck had 13 points in the first half.
Buffalo began the second half with a 12-4 run, forcinng BU to play from behind. Three times the Bearcats trimmed a double-digit margin to single digits.
Binghamton now returns home for three straight games at the Events Center to close out the calendar year. The first is a first-time matchup with St. Francis (Pa.) at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
NOTESThe Bearcats played without injured regulars
Thomas Bruce and
Romello Walker.
