BALTIMORE, Md. – Visiting Binghamton men's basketball (2-2) led for 38 minutes and made three free throws in a tense final 16 seconds to fend off Loyola (1-2) 63-57 Wednesday night at Reitz Arena.

Senior center Tariq Balogun scored 10 of his team-high 16 points in the second half and skied to provide a crucial block with 10 seconds left to help seal the win. Senior guard Tymu Chenery added 14 points and made the trio of foul shots to close out the scoring.

"It was a gutsy, gritty win tonight," associate head coach Brian Johnson said. "I'm super excited about our guys and the way they competed at the highest level. Our bench was in the game through it all and everyone contributed. We wanted to score in the paint and we got 40 in the paint tonight. We took our shots, finished at the rim and defended."

The Bearcats briefly surrendered the lead early in the second half before using a 15-6 run to reclaim it. Chenery (5 pts.) and Balogun (4 pts.) sparked the run that ended with a steal and free throw from graduate guard Symir Torrence, who filled the stats sheet with 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. That run gave BU a 49-42 lead with 11:02 left. Loyola, which had won six of seven previous meetings with the Bearcats, trimmed its deficit to as little as two but couldn't draw even down the stretch.

Graduate guard Dan Petcash flirted with a double-double and wound up with nine points and eight boards. Freshman Gavin Walsh, playing back in his hometown for the first time as a collegiate player, drilled a big 3-pointer with 3:46 left as the teams went toe-to-toe in a frantic final five minutes, combining for 19 points in the last 4:42.

Balogun extended a 56-55 edge with a jump hook with 2:34 left. Then with 1:40 left, Torrence crashed the offensive glass for a putback that gave BU a 60-55 lead. Chenery's free throws finished it off.

Binghamton opened the game with a 10-0 run and led by as many as 11 points before the Greyhounds rallied late in the half. The Bearcats hit 7-of-12 to start and Loyola missed its first nine shots out of the gate. But with three BU starters on the bench with two fouls each, the hosts tightened the margin and then knocked down a corner 3 at the halftime buzzer to pull within four, 26-22.

The Bearcats next host Marist on Saturday afternoon at the Events Center. Tip-off will be at approximately 3:30 p.m. or 30 minutes following completion of the BU women's game against St. Bonaventure (1 p.m.).