BU Men fall to 0-4 this season

11/16/2012 (Updated 11/19/2012 9:16:44 PM)

WEST POINT, N.Y. Freshman guard Kyle Wilson scored a game-high 25 points and host Army (2-1) built a double-digit halftime lead and held off visiting Binghamton mens basketball (0-4) 85-76 Friday afternoon at Christl Arena.

The Bearcats put four players in double figures and shot 51 percent but couldnt overcome a 10-point halftime deficit.

It was a good college basketball game, head coach Tommy Dempsey said. Army is a good team and we showed signs of why we can be a good team. We played with great energy and our intensity never dipped, like it did at Navy. We fought tooth and nail the whole way. It was an up and down game and our kids did what we set out to do today. Right now its about our growth as a program and tonight was definitely a step in the right direction.

Despite producing its best offensive performance of the young season, BU trailed by double digits most of the second half.

Twice, junior guard Rayner Moquete drilled three-pointers that brought the Bearcats to within nine, and when junior center Roland Brown finished off a three-point play with 1:58 remaining, BU was within eight, 78-70. But Army made a backdoor layup and then sank five free throws in the final 1:12 to seal the win.

Freshman guard Jordan Reed backed up his impressive debut two nights ago with another strong showing. Reed contributed team-highs of 18 points and eight rebounds. Moquete hit 6-of-8 field goals, including 4-of-4 threes en route to 16 points. Seniors Jimmy Gray and Taylor Johnston added 12 points apiece. Gray shook off a tough shooting game and also contributed six assists and five rebounds. Junior center Roland Brown had nine points and six boards in 22 minutes.

Army used a pair of 11-2 runs to forge a 39-29 halftime lead. The Bearcats surrendered eight three-pointers in the opening frame, including six in a 6:54 span that allowed the Black Knights to extend an 11-9 lead to 22-11. Moquete and Gray hit back-to-back threes to bring the deficit back to single digits and when Roland Brown rebounded his own miss and converted with 4:33 left, BU was within four, 28-24. But Army responded with another 11-2 run that featured a pair of threes and a three-point play. The Bearcats scored the final four points of the half to get it back to 10.

Gray had eight points in the frame and BU shot 50 percent but Army also shot 50 percent from beyond the arc (8-of-16) and netted 15 points off nine Bearcats turnovers.

The Bearcats finish up a five-games-in-ten-days stretch with a home game against St. Peters on Sunday. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. from the Events Center.

(Courtesy BU Athletics)