VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball nearly rallied from eight points down in the final 42 seconds but the Bearcats (6-22, 1-11 America East) missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds and lost to visiting UAlbany (9-17, 5-6 AE) 77-74 Saturday afternoon at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center. 

Binghamton capped an 8-1 run with a 3-pointer from graduate guard Jackson Benigni with 14 seconds left to close within one, 75-74. UAlbany made two subsequent free throws to push its lead back to three, 77-74. The Bearcats pushed the ball up the floor but couldn't find an open perimeter shooter and junior point guard Jeremiah Quigley had to hoist a double-clutch 3-attempt with two seconds left that fell short of the rim.

The Great Danes made just enough free throws in the final 40 seconds (3-for-6). On the other end, despite converting 23-of-29 for the game (79%), Binghamton had three costly misses in the final 2:28. 

"We had said the keys to the game were going to be rebounding and transition baskets and we didn't do a good job at either," head coach Levell Sanders said. "We also had some key breakdowns on both ends ... our execution wasn't great. We needed to make a stand on the defensive end and we just weren't able to do it. We had an opportunity to tie the game on that final possession but they took away what we wanted to do and we just didn't give ourselves a chance."

UAlbany pulled down 10 offensive rebounds and were plus-11 on the glass. 

Senior guard Wes Peterson, Jr. led four Bearcats in double figures with 18 points, 10 coming in the first half. Benigni wound up with 16 points, Quigley added 14 points and five assists and junior guard Bryson Wilson chipped in 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds. 

Despite shooting 50 percent in the first half, Binghamton trailed 43-39 at intermission. The Bearcats misfired on 8-of-11 to start the second half and UAlbany extended its lead to 12, 65-52, halfway through the period. A 9-0 run fueled by points from four different players, brought Binghamton back within three, 65-62, with 6:40 left. But a 3+ minute dry spell allowed the Great Danes to build back their lead. Peterson keyed the final push with a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left but the Bearcats came up one shot short. 

The Bearcats play their final two road games of the season next week, beginning with a Thursday night tilt at Bryant.