By Carter Schum | February 3, 2025
On Saturday, the University at Albany men’s basketball team dropped a close decision to the Binghamton Bearcats 65-61.
Graduate Byron Joshua (#3), driving to the basket attempting a layup. Joshua scored 15 points during UAlbany’s game against Binghamton on Saturday.
Photo Credit: Brent Warzocha/ UAlbany Athletics
“All credit to Binghamton who was more ready to play than us,” UAlbany head coach Dwyane Killings said of his team’s performance on Saturday night.
The early part of the game swung towards the Bearcats as within the first five minutes of action they jumped out to a 9-4 lead.
UAlbany graduate guard Byron Joshua was issued a technical foul, which he said was because he “celebrated too much,” with 13:33 left in the first half; however Binghamton would only make one of their technical free throws.
The Bearcats made use of the longball early, connecting on two of their first three attempts to push their lead to 14-9.
The Great Danes' struggles on both ends of the floor continued throughout the first half as their defense struggled to find stops and were out-fouled 6-1. This allowed the Bearcats to gain seven points from the free throw line to extend their lead to double digits, 24-14.
The Great Danes went on a 6-0 run towards the end of the first half to cut the Bearcat lead to 26-20.
This would prove to be as good as it got for the Great Danes in the first half, as the Bearcats outmuscled them in the final minutes to head into the break with the lead, 36-26.
Sophomore Gavin Walsh led Binghamton in first-half scoring with 12 points, while senior Kacper Klaczeck led the Great Danes with eight.
The beginning of the second half proved to be much closer than the first half, as the Great Danes found their footing offensively and forced a pair of steals to cut the Binghamton lead to 40-36.
The momentum swung in favor of the Great Danes for the first time, as they were able to connect on shots they struggled on in the first half to regain the lead 44-43.
The two teams went back and forth during the middle part of the second half, trading baskets and defensive stops. The Great Danes took the lead back again by a score of 50-49 with 7:46 left to play.
Junior forward Justin Neely drew a foul with 5:24 left and converted the free throws to give the Great Danes a 57-52 lead with under 5:30 to play.
The back-and-forth nature of the second half continued as both teams traded buckets one-for-one and once more before leaving the score even at 61-61.
The last minute of the game saw Binghamton pull away for good as Tymu Chenery converted on a layup to put the Bearcats up 63-61.
The Great Danes inbounded the ball with eight seconds left, however Killings opted not to take the Great Danes final time out. UAlbany attempted to set a play up but Neely was stripped of the ball and the Great Danes were forced to foul with one second remaining.
Nehemiah Benson for Binghamton converted two free throws that put an end to the tight contest as the Bearcats secured the win by a score of 65-61.
UAlbany fell to 11-12 overall and 3-5 in America East play. With the victory, Binghamton equaled UAlbany’s record.
The Great Danes next home game is scheduled for Saturday, February 8, as they face the Vermont Catamounts at 7 p.m. in the Broadview Center.
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