Despite a career high 28 point effort from freshman Anne Simon on Saturday afternoon, the Binghamton Bearcats sent the Maine Black Bears to their second consecutive America East loss with a 73-63 women’s basketball win at the Events Center in Vestal, New York.
Maine (7-13, 3-3 America East) never led in the first half as Binghamton took as much as a nine point lead. The Bearcats opened up the first quarter leading by as many as eight, as the Black Bears shot just 3-15 from the floor in the opening 10 minutes. The visitors after falling down 20-11 early in the second quarter got it down to five twice, the second time on a Kelly Fogarty three-pointer with 1:42 to play before halftime. Kai Moon though who had 15 first half points drained a three pointer just before the horn to give the hosts a 34-26 lead at the break.
The Black Bears came out on fire to begin the third quarter. Simon hit three jumpers including one from three-point range, and Fogarty tied it at the 5:57 mark with a three-pointer part of a 12-4 Maine run. After the Bearcats took back a two point lead twice, Dor Saar knocked one in from behind the arc for the Bears first lead of the day with 2:23 left in the quarter at 43-42. Maine led 45-44 after three.
Binghamton took a four point lead early in the fourth quarter on a Karly Boland layup and a three-pointer from Moon, before Simon and Fogarty resounded with baskets to tie it at 49-49. Another Simon jumper gave Maine back their final lead of the day, as again the Bearcats had the answer when Annie Ramil hit a layup and Moon hit another three-pointer. The Black Bears stayed within striking distance and would fight back to a 61-61 tie with a 1-2 effort from the line from Simon with 3:18 left. After empty possessions both ways, Binghamton got the eventual game winner from Denai Bowman with a drive in the lane with 1:39 remaining. A. Ramil made another move down low to extend to a four point advantage, and the Bearcats then went 8-8 from the foul line in the final minute to sew up the win.
Simon shot 12-18 from the floor and added 11 rebounds and two steals to her game high point total in the Maine loss. It was the first career double double for Simon. Maeve Carroll added 13 points and seven rebounds, while Fogarty also got into double digit scoring with 10. Saar also chipped in eight points and five rebounds. Moon led Binghamton in the win with 26 points, seven rebounds, and three steals including 5-10 from three-point range. O. Ramil added 16 points and six rebounds, while her sister A. Ramil had 12 points and four boards. Maine will look to snap their two game winless streak Wednesday night at Vermont.
