VESTAL, N.Y. – Junior guard Imani Watkins scored a game-high 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds, pacing Binghamton (11-12, 6-4 AE) to a 69-54 win over UMass Lowell (3-20, 0-10 AE) in an America East women's basketball game on Saturday afternoon at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center. The victory is the Bearcats' second straight home triumph and moves them into a tie for third place in the America East.

Watkins, who reached the 20-point mark in scoring for the second consecutive game, also added a team-best nine rebounds, dished out three assists and recorded a game-high four steals. She now has 12 games with at least 20 points this season and 27 such performances during her career.

Junior center Alyssa James finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and a game-high six blocks. She came into the game averaging a conference-best 1.8 blocks per game. For her career, James now has nine games with at least five blocks – including three this season.

The Bearcats had two other players reach double figures in scoring. Freshman guard Carly Boland scored 15 points (on 6-of-9 shooting), dished out three assists and blocked a career-best four shots. Sophomore forward Rebecca Carmody, meanwhile, chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds.

It was the third quarter of the game that proved decisive. Down 32-31 at the break, Binghamton outscored UMass Lowell 28-11 to go up 59-42. In the process, the Bearcats shot 52.6 percent (10-for-19). Watkins led the way with 12 points during that stretch.

"I thought we played a really good third quarter," head coach Linda Cimino said. "Our defense really propelled our offense. Imani told our team in the locker room at halftime that we had to change our defensive intensity and she single-handedly led that spark. I am really proud of her and the leadership she showed today."

The Bearcats eventually went up by as much as 65-45 with 6:38 left in regulation. They emptied the bench with 2:30 left to go.

Binghamton tied a school record by going a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line.  Watkins sank all five of her attempts while James was a perfect 4-for-4. It marks the fourth time in program history that the Bearcats have shot 1.000 from the free throw line. The most recent instance was its 7-for-7 performance against Vermont on March 8, 2008.

Nicole Hayner led the River Hawks with 19 points while Markayla Sherman added 15 points. Kayla Gibbs grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.

Redshirt sophomore guard Jasmine Sina finished with eight points, six rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals.

As a team, Binghamton blocked 11 shots – its second most of the season. It finished with 12 against Misericordia back on Dec. 17. In addition, the Bearcats' 17 assists tied its second-highest total of the season.

Binghamton remains home and will face Vermont on Monday at 7 p.m.

NOTES: Watkins now has 1,337 career points and remains in fifth place all time in program history. She is four points away from tying current Binghamton Associate Head Coach Leah Truncale for fourth place. Truncale, who played from 1998-02 and was a 2013 inductee into the athletic department's Hall of Fame, scored 1,341 points … Watkins' three assists gives her 290 for her career and moves her into a sixth-place tie with Kim Shaw (1997-01).