NEW YORK, N.Y. – Host Columbia (1-2) hit 10-of-17 shots to start the second half and used a 15-3 run to pull away from Binghamton men's basketball (0-3) 75-63 Wednesday night at Levien Gymnasium.

Binghamton trailed just 49-46 after a 3-pointer from sophomore guard Sam Sessoms with 12:02 left. But the Lions rattled off nine straight points and when the extended four-minute run was done, Columbia led 64-49. The Bearcats pulled no closer than 12 over the game's final eight minutes. 

"We're still learning offensively," head coach Tommy Dempsey said. "We played hard on defense but had a couple of lapses and that hurt us. Forrest (Columbia freshman Jack Forrest) came in and made a big difference for them in the second half (4-for-4 from 3-point range). They're a good team and I thought we put ourselves in position to fight but we weren't good enough to get the win tonight ... We've learned a lot about ourselves in these first three games. We're a better team because of these tough road games to start the season." 

Sessoms led all scorers with 23 points on 9-of-20 shooting. He added four rebounds, three assists and three steals. It was the 13th time in his young collegiate career that Sessoms has scored 20 or more points. 

Freshman forward George Tinsley produced his first collegiate double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds in a full 40 minutes of work. Classmate Brenton Mills added a season-high 11 points.

The Bearcats played without starting forward and leading scorer Pierre Sarr, who is out with a broken nose suffered early in the Michigan State game. 

In the first half, BU trailed by as many as nine points before scoring the final six of the period to close to within four, 37-33, at intermission. Sessoms and freshman guard Hakon Hjalmarsson hit jumpers in the final 59 seconds to tighten the score. Both teams shot 44 percent in the first half and the Bearcats led by as many as six before Columbia gained control. The half featured eight lead changes. 
 
Binghamton returns to Vestal for its home opener on Saturday when BU hosts Sacred Heart at 4 p.m. at the Events Center. At approximately 3:45 p.m., immediately following the women's basketball game, the athletics department will unveil a tribute to men's basketball player Calistus Anyichie, who passed away in July.