VESTAL, N.Y. - Visiting Maine 7-17, 3-7 America East) used an 18-0 early second-half run to gain separation and then held off Binghamton men's basketball (8-15, 2-8 AE) down the stretch, 82-75, Saturday afternoon at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center. 

Maine had three players with 20 or more points and shot 64 percent in the second half  (16-of-25) to complete the season sweep of the Bearcats. 

Binghamton led 38-37 1:21 into the second half before Maine went on the decisive run, which spanned 5:10 and resulted in a 55-38 Bearcats' deficit. With freshman forward George Tinsley leading the way with eight points, BU used an ensuing 18-9 run to pull within six, 76-70, and had possession with just under one minute to play. But Binghamton's next shot was blocked - one of eight Maine blocks in the game - and the Black Bears sealed the game with 4-of-4 free throws in the final 42 seconds. 

Senior guard Richard Caldwell, Jr. scored a career-high 20 points (13 in second half) and both Tinsley (16 pts., 10 rebs.) and sophomore guard Sam Sessoms (13 pts., 10 assists) recorded double-doubles. It was Tinsley's team-leading fifth double-double of the season and Sessoms' first career double, thanks to a career-best 10 assists. Freshman guard Hakon Hjalmarsson added a season-high 12 points (4-of-6 3-pointers). 

"We fought until the end today," head coach Tommy Dempsey said. "We showed a lot of character and heart in those last six minutes. Maine shot the ball well to start the second half, made some tough shots and we had some good looks that didn't go in. That early run put us in a hole and we couldn't fully get out of it. But we played with confidence and we just have to stay together and fight to get out of this tough spot (in the standings)."

Binghamton took a school-record 44 3-point attempts and made a season-high 15 (34%). 

The Bearcats stay at home to welcome Stony Brook to the Events Center on Wednesday.

NOTES
Sessoms now has 993 career points and is within seven of becoming just the seventh player in the 41-year history of the America East to reach the 1,000-point mark as a sophomore ... Caldwell became the sixth different Bearcat to score 20 or more points in a game this year and Sessoms became the fifth different BU player to achieve a double-double.