Contact: John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)

VESTAL, N.Y. - Visiting Vermont (11-9, 3-2 America East) shot 54 percent in the second half and used a 10-0 run midway through the period to hold off Binghamton (3-15, 0-5 AE) 61-52 in an America East men's basketball game Wednesday night at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center.

Junior guard Marlon Beck netted a game-high 18 points (5-for-10 three-pointers) for the Bearcats, who also received 10 points and eight rebounds from sophomore forward Willie Rodriguez.

Down 11 with 8:36 remaining, Rodriguez canned four free throws in 29 seconds and freshman guard Everson Davis hit a three-pointer to pull BU to within four, 49-45, with 7:01 left. But the Catamounts used a 10-0 run over the next 5:15 to keep the Bearcats at bay. Junior forward Kurt Steidl scored eight of his 16 points during the decisive run.

"It's another night we fell short but we competed very hard," head coach Tommy Dempsey said. "Our defense is becoming more tenacious. Our press is starting to be more effective and we're making teams uncomfortable. But Vermont made a lot of big threes tonight ... Steidl made us pay, especially a few times when we were close to getting right back in the game. I'm proud of our effort though. We have a lot of players and coaches in that room who feel terrible about where we are ... but at the same time trust our process and still believe in who we can be."

Rodriguez got it going in the second half, scoring all 10 of his points, including eight from the free throw line (8-of-11). Beck tallied 13 of his 18 in the second stanza. Davis and sophomore center Bobby Ahearn added eight points apiece.

Binghamton returns to the road this weekend, traveling to Lowell, Mass. to face the River Hawks on Sunday afternoon. Tip-off has been moved ahead to 1 p.m. at the Tsongas Center, following the BU women's game against UMass Lowell.