Bearcats struggles continue, lose to UAlbany

2/2/2013 (Updated 10:44:07 PM)

ALBANY, N.Y.  Albany (17-7, 6-4 AE) built a 26-point halftime lead and defeated visiting Binghamton (3-19, 1-8 AE) 79-46 and in an America East game Saturday night from SEFCU Arena.

The Great Danes drilled seven threes and shot 54 percent in the opening frame to pull away early. Seven minutes into the contest, Binghamton trailed just 13-9 but its offense went cold and Albany outscored BU 27-5 to carry a 40-14 cushion into intermission. The last piece of the big run was a 13-0 stretch in the final 5:16 as the Bearcats were held without a point for the final 6:51.

Freshman guard Jordan Reed and junior center Brian Freeman led the Bearcats with 14 points apiece. Reed, who ranks second in the conference in scoring, hit double-digits for the 19th time in 20 collegiate games. He continued to show his aerial game with a pair of high-flying dunks in the second half. Reed drove the baseline for a jam and then just 27 seconds later, stole the ball on defense and soared in for another jam.

Freeman hit 6-of-10 field goals in a season-high 30 minutes.
Senior guard Jimmy Gray chipped in 12 points.
Albany shot 55 percent for the game and drilled 11-of-23 three-pointers.

Give credit where credits due, head coach Tommy Dempsey said. They were clearly the better team tonight ... the scoreboard tells the story. We came out playing really hard but we didnt have the answers. I thought Brian (Freeman) stepped up again tonight and gave us an inside presence. That was a real positive.

The Bearcats return home to host Hartford Wednesday night at the Events Center. The game will be shown on ESPN3.

NOTES
Reed and Jayson Guerrier (18 pts.) were selected as the America East Players of the Game.

(Courtesy: BU Athletics)