LOWELL, Mass. - Binghamton men's basketball nearly rallied from a 12-point deficit in the final 1:40 but host UMass Lowell (10-16, 4-9 America East) sank 5-of-6 free throws in the final 31 seconds to hold off the Bearcats 74-69 Sunday afternoon at Costello Athletic Center. 

The Bearcats (11-17, 2-11 AE) trailed 66-54 before embarking on a 13-4 run that pulled them to within three, 70-67, with 23 seconds left. But after an intentional foul and two River Hawks makes at the line, BU missed on a driving layup and Lowell made its final two free throws with 0:11 left to ice it. 

Junior guard J.C. Show scored 11 of his team-high 15 points in the second half. Sophomore guard Fard Muhammad did most of his damage in the first - tallying 10 of his 14 points to help the Bearcats close, within 30-27 at intermission. 

Junior center Thomas Bruce notched his ninth double-double of the season with 11 points and 13 rebounds and freshman wing Albert Odero added 12 points, five rebounds and three assists. 

Lowell build a double-digit lead late in the first half before Muhammad sparked a 7-0 BU run to end the half. His three-pointer with 36 seconds left brought the Bearcats to within three at break.

But after shooting just 30 percent in the first half, the River Hawks jumped that average up to 48 percent in the second half. The hosts were aided considerably by a wide disparity at the free throw line. Binghamton didn't get to the line the entire first half and was limited to 7-of-11 shooting in the second half. Lowell wound up 24-of-33 from the charity stripe. Despite making eight more field goals than the River Hawks, the Bearcats were hindered by 18 turnovers.

Binghamton is one game behind Maine for the final playoff spot with three games remaining. The Black Bears hold the tiebreak by virtue of their season sweep, however, so in essence, BU is two games back. 

The Bearcats next travel to Burlington to face first-place Vermont on Wednesday.