UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Big Ten member Penn State (1-0) built a 31-point halftime lead and defeated visiting Binghamton men's basketball (0-1) 108-66 in the season opener for both teams Monday night at the Bryce Jordan Center.

The Bearcats were within four points halfway through the first half before fouls and turnovers began to mount. Penn State used an 11-0 run to turn a 16-12 edge into a 27-12 cushion. The Nittany Lions cashed in at the free throw line with 21-of-25 freebies off 17 Bearcat first-half fouls. Penn State led 54-23 at intermission.

Sophomore guard Evan Ashe scored 11 of his team-high 16 points in the second half to pace the Bearcats. Graduate guard Tymu Chenery added 13 points, eight in the first half. Senior guard Chris Walker chipped in 12 points.  

Binghamton shot 54 percent in the second half and put 43 points on the board but the damage was done.

"We had 14 turnovers in the first half and that was the game," head coach Levell Sanders said. "To me it was a lot of unforced turnovers. We were a little nervous and it didn't allow us to play with clarity. When you give a good team so many opportunities, that's what happens. We didn't make enough plays for each other tonight. These are the games you want to play but we have to come out and make a team like this play half-court. We played right into their hands in the first half."

It was the second time the Bearcats have played the Big Ten member Nittany Lions. In 2017, Penn State won 80-65 en route to a 26-win NIT-title season.

Binghamton hosts SUNY Oneonta at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Events Center.