VESTAL, N.Y. - Sophomore guard Sam Sessoms poured in 39 points to lift Binghamton men's basketball (9-17, 3-10 America East) past visiting UMass Lowell (11-17, 5-8 AE) 86-84 Thursday night at the Events Center. With the win, the Bearcats moved to within a half-game of Maine for the final playoff spot with three games remaining. 

Sessoms, who two games earlier eclipsed the 1,000-point scoring mark, added another superlative to his young career. His 39 points are the most scored in a regulation game in BU's 19-year Division I history, breaking the old mark of 34 that he shared with two other former Bearcats. Sessoms also has the overtime game scoring record of 40 points, set earlier this year in a win over Boston University.

The River Hawks made BU work until the final horn for the win, however, after using a 13-2 run in the closing minutes to turn an 11-point deficit into an 80-80 tie with 42 seconds left. But Sessoms went back to work, converting a tough turnaround jumper with 20 seconds left to restore Binghamton's lead. The Bearcats then made 4-of-6 free throws in the final 11 seconds to seal the win.

Freshman forward George Tinsley tallied 15 points and five steals and senior forward Pierre Sarr added eight points and eight rebounds in just 23 minutes of action (foul trouble). Tinsley scored 12 of his points in the first half before Sessoms took over in the second with 27 of his points. 

Binghamton shot 65 percent in the second half and for the game, made 11-of-19 3-pointers (58%). 

The Bearcats host Hartford on a quick turnaround game at 4 p.m. Saturday. 

NOTES
Sessoms pushed his season scoring average to 18.4 ppg., third in the America East. He also ranks first in assists (4.8/game), making him one of just six underclassmen in the nation to be among his conference top-3 in both scoring and assists. Sessoms also moved his career scoring mark to 1,067 points, which now ranks second (only to Willie Rodriguez at 1,375) in BU's Division I era.