BALTIMORE, Md. - Host UMBC (10-4, 1-0 AE) used a 14-0 run midway through the second half to pull away from Binghamton men's basketball (9-7, 0-1 America East) 85-71 in the conference opener for both teams Wednesday night at the RAC Arena.

Binghamton trailed for all but one minute in the game and and despite twice pulling to within four points early in the second half, couldn't fully rally. A layup from junior forward Willie Rodriguez had BU within seven, 62-55, with 8:41 left. But UMBC responded with the decisive run and expanded its lead to as many as 21 points.

The Bearcats put four in double figures, led by freshman guard Fard Muhammad, who tied his season high with 16 points. Senior guard Marlon Beck and sophomore guard Timmy Rose added 12 points apiece and Rodriguez wound up with 10 points and six rebounds.  

To start the game, the Bearcats led 6-5 on the strength of two three-pointers from Muhammad before the host Retrievers ran off a 19-7 run to build a double-digit lead. Binghamton committed a series of early turnovers and trailed 33-20 before catching a spark. Muhammad and Rose hit back-to-back threes and BU used an 11-4 run to end the half and climb back in the game, down 37-31 at intermission. 

But despite shooting above 60 percent for the first eight minutes of the second half, BU couldn't gain much ground. 

Binghamton returns home to host UMass Lowell at 2 p.m. on Sunday. 

NOTES
Beck hit four three-pointers to tie Troy Hailey (2003-07) atop the career three-pointers list. Beck and Hailey have 182. Hailey was at the game and joined WNBF 1290 AM play-by-play man Roger Neel at the half. Beck (913 points) and Rodriguez (910) each moved closer to the 1,000-point plateau.