Binghamton University Athletics

Cody Musial

Box Score

NJIT NJIT 10-16,7-6 America East

Binghamton Bingha 14-12,6-7 America East

NJIT NJIT

10-16,7-6 America East

Final

Feb. 15, 2025

Binghamton Bingha

14-12,6-7 America East

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
NJIT NJIT	21	16	9	9	55
Binghamton Bingha	17	14	23	11	65

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 2/15/2025 5:17:00 PM | David O’Brian (dobrian@binghamton.edu)

Women’s Basketball Rallies Past NJIT 65-55

Boyd nets 16 points, Bennett records first career double-double

VESTAL, N.Y. – Sophomore guard Yanniah Boyd scored a game-high 16 points and sophomore forward Kendall Bennett turned in an 11-point, 16-rebound, five-block, two-steal performance, powering Binghamton (14-12, 6-7 AE) to a 65-55 come-from-behind victory over NJIT (11-15, 7-6 AE) in an America East women's basketball game on Saturday afternoon at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center. With the victory, the Bearcats have now won three out of their last four games.

The Bearcats trailed by as many as 13 points late midway through the second quarter but outscored the Highlanders by 23 points the rest of the way. It marked the first time that the Bearcats have rallied from a double-digit deficit since they were down by 11 points against Vermont before winning 66-57 on Feb. 3, 2024.

Boyd was 4-of-8 from the field, swished a pair of three-point field goals and was 6-of-8 from the free throw line. She also grabbed six rebounds and recorded a pair of steals.

Bennett, meanwhile, recorded the first double-double of her career. In addition, her 16 rebounds and five blocks are the highest totals turned in by a Binghamton player so far this season. In her last two games, Bennett has blocked nine shots.

Sophomore guard Bella Pucci and redshirt junior guard Jadyn Weltz also reached double figures in scoring against the Highlanders. Pucci finished with 13 points to go along with four rebounds, four assists and a game-high four steals. Weltz, meanwhile, added 11 points and also tallied four rebounds and four assists.

It was a game of runs, starting with NJIT's 16-0 outburst in a span of 6:55 to go up 30-17 with 7:00 left to go in the second period. The Bearcats, however, reduced the deficit to just six points (37-31) at the half when Boyd hit a half-court, three-point shot at the buzzer.

Binghamton then took over the game with a 14-0 blitz over a stretch of 4:25 to go up 54-46 with 51 seconds left in the third period. Boyd and Bennett each had four points during that spurt.

Nursing a 56-51 lead, Binghamton got the separation it needed when sophomore guard Leah Middleton made a clutch three-point field goal with 2:19 left in regulation. Her shot started a 7-2 run which sealed the victory.

"We talked at the half about rotating on defense because NJIT is a very good shooting team," head coach Mary Grimes said. "Once we were able to do that, we were able to come up with the steals and the rebounds. I think that's where we adjusted very well."

As a team, NJIT led the America East in scoring coming into the game (65.0 ppg.) but were held to just 18 points over the final 20 minutes of play. Olivia Kulyk led the Highlanders with 14 points while Alejandra Zuniga added 10 points.

Middleton finished with seven points and also tied for the game high with four assists.

The Bearcats took care of the basketball, dishing out 14 assists and turning the ball over just nine times. In addition, Binghamton came up with 11 steals.

Binghamton made nine three-point field goals against NJIT and was 14-of-18 from the free throw line (78 percent).

The Bearcats head to New Hampshire on Thursday for a 6 p.m. game.

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