DALLAS, Pa. – Binghamton men's basketball (3-1) put five in double figures and ran past host Misericordia (2-1) 87-62 Wednesday night at Anderson Center.
The win was Binghamton's third straight after its season-opening loss at Northwestern.
The Bearcats led by just two at half but hit 10-of-16 shots to start the second period. Binghamton extended its lead to as many as 27 points before settling on the final 25-point margin. The physical game was bogged down by whistles throughout. Binghamton was called for 23 fouls.
"I knew Misericordia would have energy and it took us some time to wake up and play defense tonight," head coach
Levell Sanders said. "We raised our intensity in the second half but we have to be mature enough to play hard for 40 minutes and we didn't do that."
Senior center
Demetrius Lilley produced his fourth straight double-double to begin the season. Already the NCAA leader in doubles and rebounds, Lilley racked up 11 points and a career-high 19 rebounds. Junior guard
Jayden Lemond hit 5-of-7 and scored a career-high 15 points and senior point guard
Jeremiah Quigley added 14 points and six assists. Other Bearcats in double figures were sophomore guards
Kofi Peyton (14) and
Jayden Kelsey (12).
Binghamton was sluggish out of the gate and fell behind 10-3 three minutes in. But a 13-0 run spanning 4+ minutes gave the Bearcats the lead. Senior forward
Dylan Godfrey and Kelsey hit 3-pointers during the run. The Cougars used a mini-run to tie the game at 33 before Binghamton edged ahead at intermission, 36-34. Lilley grabbed 13 rebounds in the first half.
Binghamton next heads to Pittsburgh and a Saturday night matchup with unbeaten Atlantic 10 member Duquesne.
