VESTAL, N.Y. - Visiting Maine shot 54 percent in the second half to overcome a 10-point deficit and the Black Bears (7-24, 3-13 America East) edged Binghamton men's basketball (12-19, 3-13 AE) 72-71 in the regular season finale for both teams Saturday afternoon at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center. The teams finished tied in the standings but the Bearcats won the tiebreaker and will carry the No. 7 seed into the America East tournament and face No. 2 Stony Brook in a quarterfinal game Wednesday on Long Island.

The see-saw game featured seven ties and 14 lead changes - including the final one in the game's last minute. After a free throw from junior forward Willie Rodriguez (26 pts., 9 rebs.), BU led 67-66 with 1:10 left. But Maine answered with a jumper and then after a BU turnover in the lane, the Black Bears added a pair of free throws with 0:32 left to go up 70-67. Two subsequent BU possessions yielded a Rodriguez layup and two free throws from sophomore guard Timmy Rose but in-between, Maine made two free throws to keep its margin.

Rodriguez hit 10-of-18 shots and 6-of-7 from the line for his season-high points. He netted 18 points in the second half and also totalled nine rebounds, four assists and three steals in 32 minutes. Sophomore wing John Schurman added a career-high 14 points, thanks primarily to 4-of-7 marksmanship from beyond the arc.

Maine put four players in double figures and hit 5-of-7 threes in the decisive second half.

"We weren't able to maintain the lead but give Maine credit," head coach Tommy Dempsey said. "They made a lot of big shots and once it got tight at the end we didn't get it done."

The Black Bears took an early 17-8 lead before BU used a 16-2 run to stake out a 24-19 lead with 8:15 to play in the half. Rodriguez had six points during the run. Maine brought it back to one and trailed 32-31 at intermission. Five minutes into the second half, the Black Bears led 44-43 before BU rattled off 10 straight points - six on threes by Schurman - to build a 53-44 lead. Maine brought it back to three before another Schurman bomb and an acrobatic Rodriguez offensive rebound and circus layup stretched BU's lead to double figures, 62-52. But BU committed five turnovers and shot 2-for-9 in the final 7:25, opening the door for the visitors to rally.