Bearcats lose big to Great Danes

1/5/2013 (Updated 11:04:05 PM)

Vestal, N.Y. Shereesha Richards finished with a game-high 18 points, leading Albany (10-4, 2-0 AE) to a 72-47 win over Binghamton (2-13, 1-1 AE) in an America East womens basketball game on Saturday afternoon at the Events Center. The Great Danes outscored the home squad 40-24 in the second half to improve to 2-0 in conference play.

Richards led a balanced Great Dane attack, which also included 15 points each from Ebone Henry and Megan Craig. Henry also added eight rebounds, three assists and three steals in the winning effort.

The game was won in the paint, where the Great Danes outscored Binghamton 42-16 and held a 25-4 advantage in second-chance points. In addition, Albany nearly doubled the Bearcats in rebounds, finishing with a commanding 47-25 advantage.
It was a frustrating night for us, head coach Nicole Scholl said. We certainly stayed close for much of the first half but things fell apart in the second half. Given Albany credit. They are a good team and made it tough for us.

Sophomore forward Sherae Swinson, who finished with a team-high 12 points, put the Bearcats ahead 16-14 on a jumper with 9:03 left to go in the first half. In the ensuing 5:42, however, Albany went on a 13-3 run to go up 26-18 with 3:21 left before the break. Richards and Henry each had four points during that span.

Up 32-23 at the half, the Great Danes started off with a 7-2 blitz in a span of 1:55 to go up 39-24. Henry had five of the points during that stretch, including a three pointer.

The backbreaking run, however, was a 15-2 spurt within 4:42 that made the score 58-33 with 8:56 left in regulation. Richards led the Great Danes with six points during that stretch.

For Binghatmon, freshman forward Morgan Murphy, sophomore guard Vaneeshia Paulk and senior forward Simone Thomas each finished with eight points. For Thomas, her eight points marked a new career-high.

Binghamton heads to Stony Brook on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. game.

COURTESY: BU ATHLETICS

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