VESTAL N.Y-  Redshirt junior guard Jadyn Weltz turned in a 21-point, six-assist, five-steal, four-rebound performance, powering Binghamton (10-6, 2-1 AE) to a 69-59 win against Maine (7-9, 2-1 AE) in their America East home opener on Thursday evening at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center. The Bearcats' victory was their first over the defending conference champions since the 2019-20 season and began a stretch of three straight home games.

The Bearcats shot a season-best 57.5 percent from the field (23-of-40) and the 69 points represented their third-highest scoring output of the season. In addition, Binghamton placed four players - including Weltz - in double figures in scoring for the first time this season.

At the free throw line, Binghamton was 21-of-28 (75 percent). It marked the Bearcats' most made free throws since they hit 28 shots against Delaware State on Nov. 21, 2019. 

Junior guard Kaia Goode finished with 14 points, grabbed two rebounds and added a steal. At the free throw line, she was 10-of-11 while from the field, she sank two of her three shots.

Sophomore forward Kendall Bennett scored a career-best 13 points, grabbed a team-best seven rebounds and recorded a pair of blocks. By shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the field, she is the first Bearcat player to shoot 100 percent from the field (minimum five attempts), since Jalyn Van Dyke was 5-for-5 against NJIT on Feb. 22, 2022. 

Sophomore guard Yanniah Boyd added 10 points, three rebounds, one assist and a steal. She sank five free throws as well as her lone three-point shot. 

In a game which featured five ties and six lead changes, Binghamton went on a 7-0 run in a span of 2:02 in the third period to take a 46-39 lead, forcing Maine to call a timeout.

The Black Bears, however, rallied to deadlock the game at 57-57 with 5:28 left in regulation. Paula Gallego - who finished with 10 points, six rebounds and four assists, made the game-tying layup.

From there, Binghamton closed out the game on a 12-2 run. Weltz had five of her points and Bennett converted a pair of layups during that stretch. Goode, meanwhile, added three of her free throws to ice the game.

"We talked about getting the rebounds we needed when we needed them," head coach Mary Grimes said. "Maine is an unbelievable team but give credit to our team for locking down defensively at the end of the game."

Olivia Rockwood led Maine with 20 points, going 6-of-10 from three-point range in the process. In addition to Gallego, Caroline Dotsey also finished with 10 points. 

The Bearcats outscored Maine 40-24 in the paint as well as 13-4 off of turnovers. The Black Bears, meanwhile, dished out 16 assists and held a 17-1 advantage in second-chance points.

Binghamton continues its home stand on Saturday with a 2 p.m. game against New Hampshire.

NOTES: Bennett has now averaged a team-best 12.0 points during the past three games … heading into tonight's game, the Black Bears had defeated the Bearcats 11 straight times, including a pair of America East Tournament games. Binghamton's most recent win over Maine was a 73-63 triumph at the Events Center back on Jan. 18, 2020.