SMITHFIELD, R.I. – First-place Bryant (12-9, 6-0 America East) used a 21-7 early second-half run to pull away from visiting Binghamton men's basketball (9-12, 1-5 AE) 83-69 Saturday afternoon at Chace Athletic Center.

The Bearcats led for nearly the entire first half, including a double-digit margin to open the game. But Bryant, the highest scoring team in the conference, hit 9-of-12 shots to start the second half and used the big run to remain unbeaten in America East play.

The Bearcats trailed by as many as 17 points midway through the period but cut it to nine, 64-73, on a 3-pointer from graduate forward Ben Callahan-Gold with 3:20 left. But Binghamton could draw no closer.

Binghamton put five in double figures, led by graduate guard Tymu Chenery, who tallied 16 points (14 in first half). Sophomore forward Gavin Walsh notched his league-leading eighth double-double with 11 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. Senior point guard Wes Peterson, Jr. scored a career-high 15 points, Callahan-Gold hit three 3-pointers for 13 points and senior forward Chris Walker added 10.  

"We had a few turnovers in the first half that allowed them to cut into our lead," head coach Levell Sanders said. "And then they made a couple of 3s early in the second half that gave them confidence and settled them down. They made some tough shots and got to more 50/50 balls. They do a really good job protecting the paint and I knew we would have to make a lot of 3s to beat them. But we weren't able to knock them down and didn't do enough to come away with a win."

The Bearcats were quick out of the gate, scoring the game's first nine points and building an early 12-2 cushion five minutes in. Bryant closed the half with an 18-9 run, however, to grab a 36-33 lead. Chenery hit 6-of-9 shots for 14 points and Binghamton pressured the high-scoring Bulldogs into 3-for-15 shooting from behind the arc.

The Bearcats play three of their next four at home beginning with a Thursday night tilt against Vermont.