VESTAL, N.Y. – Sophomore forward
Genevieve Coleman led a balanced attack with 19 points, pacing Binghamton (13-11, 6-5 AE) to a 75-53 win over New Hampshire (7-16, 2-9 AE) in an America East women's basketball game on Wednesday night at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center. With the victory, the Bearcats now have a season-high, three-game winning streak heading into Saturday's game at first-place Albany.
As a team, Binghamton shot 51.7 percent for the game against the Wildcats (30-58) and surpassed the 70-point mark for the second straight game. The Bearcats also canned eight three-point field goals and went 7-of-8 from the free throw line (.875).
Coleman was one of four Bearcat players to reach double figures in scoring. She went 8-of-11 from the floor, made both of her free throws and recorded a pair of steals.
Senior guard
Denai Bowman and redshirt freshman guard
Ella Wanzer each finished with 16 points. Bowman was 8-of-9 from the field and added six rebounds as well as six assists. Wanzer, meanwhile, nailed four three-point field goals and added three assists.
Senior forward
Clare Traeger, meanwhile, netted 12 points to go along with five rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal.
Coleman scored 15 of her points in the first half as the Bearcats took a 40-24 lead at the break. She was 6-of-8 over the first 20 minutes, which was capped off by her buzzer-beating, three-point field goal.
The Bearcats then opened the third period with a 7-2 run over the first 1:56 to go up 47-26. Bowman and Wanzer scored all of Binghamton's points during that stretch.
From there, the Binghamton lead never was less than 13 points the rest of the way.
"Our players really wanted to keep this momentum going," head coach
Bethann Shapiro Ord said. "We had a bye this past weekend and I gave the girls two days off but our seniors wanted the team to get back in the gym on Sunday. They are all very motivated, believe in each other and want to keep getting better. Tonight we were very unselfish with the basketball and had a great start to the game."
Although redshirt freshman guard
Jadyn Weltz didn't score a point, she dished out a game-high seven assists. She also added five rebounds and a game-high four steals.
Brooke Kane of New Hampshire led all players with 20 points. Breezie Williams added 11 points.
Binghamton finished the game with a 38-26 advantage in points in the paint as well as an 18-6 edge in points off of turnovers. The Bearcats also had 21 assists as opposed to 11 turnovers.
The 75 points represent the fourth-highest scoring total by the Bearcats this season. The .517 field goal percentage is their third-highest mark.
In addition, the 21 assists ties Binghamton's best total of the season. The Bearcats established that mark in their most recent game - against UMBC on Feb. 1.
Binghamton's 75 points was even more meaningful because its game against New Hampshire was the annual Play4Kay Game. As part of the festivities, Coach Shapiro Ord pledged $5.00 per point scored by the Bearcats - as well as $50.00 for a drawn charge - to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
The Bearcats' game against the Great Danes takes place on Saturday at 4 p.m.
NOTES: With the victory, Binghamton is a perfect 8-0 this season in games in which it has scored at least 70 points. The Bearcats are also 10-2 in games in which they have scored at least 60 points … at the Events Center, Binghamton is 9-3 so far this season … Bowman now has 1,138 points for her career and remains No. 14 all time in Binghamton program history, in 13th place, with 1,150 points, is Erica Carter (2006-10).