VESTAL, N.Y. - Visiting NJIT used a 16-6 early second-half run to seize control and the Highlanders (8-5, 3-0 America East) posted a 67-56 win over Binghamton (5-7, 2-1 America East) Saturday afternoon at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center. The game was an early-season tilt between undefeated conference leaders and NJIT prevailed to snap a three-game BU streak head-to-head.

Two nights after the Bearcats shot 59 percent and put 88 points on the board in a win at Albany, BU's offense stalled. Binghamton shot just 31 percent in the first half and dug a six-point deficit at intermission, 33-27. In the second half, BU twice cut its margin to four early, before the Highlanders embarked on the decisive run. The Bearcats whittled their margin down to seven, 54-47, with 8:03 left on a feed-and-dunk from junior Jacob Falko to classmate Taveion White. But another 10-point NJIT swing followed as BU was limited to one bucket in a nearly five-minute span. 

NJIT doubled-up BU in the paint, scoring 44 points in the post.    

Falko was the lone Bearcat in double figures with 11 points. Junior wing Christian Hinckson had nine points and a team-high eight rebounds and sophomore guard John McGriff returned to action and added nine points (3-of-5 3-pointers). McGriff was a team-best plus-eight on the floor. Leading scorer Dan Petcash returned to the lineup and cashed in a 3-pointer in 14 minutes. Petcash missed the last four games with an injury. 

Binghamton's scheduled home game against Hartford on Wednesday has been postponed with the Hawks in COVID protocols. So after playing twice in three days, BU will now have eight days before facing Maine next Sunday afternoon in Bangor.