LOWELL, Mass. – UMass Lowell (17-13, 6-9 America East) built a 14-point halftime cushion and opened the second half with a 12-0 run to pull away from Binghamton men's basketball (15-15, 7-8 AE) 79-53 Saturday afternoon at Costello Athletic Center.

The Bearcats entered the day in a tie for fourth place having won six of eight. But on its Senior Day, two days after suffering a stinging loss at the buzzer, the River Hawks shot 61% and didn't allow the Bearcats any margin for error, gaining a split of the season series.

"We were on our heels the entire first half," head coach Levell Sanders said. "Defensively they were being aggressive and we were just weren't able to get anything going offensively. They were way more physical than we were and when you play like that, good things happen for you."

UML used a 29-9 first-half blitz to take control of the game. Down 11-9 seven minutes into the contest, Binghamton surrendered the big run over the next 10 minutes. The River Hawks shot 68% in the first period and Binghamton couldn't keep up, despite ending the half on an 8-0 run. That closing Bearcat flurry brought the deficit back to 14, 40-26, at intermission.  

But it was more of the same in the second half as the River Hawks used the quick run to boost their lead to 24 points, 50-26. Binghamton drew no closer the rest of the way.

Graduate guard Tymu Chenery led three Bearcats in double figures with 11 points. Sophomore guard Evan Ashe (5-for-8 FG) also tallied 11 points and graduate forward Ben Callahan-Gold added 10 points.

The Bearcats close out the regular season with a home game Tuesday against NJIT.