VESTAL, N.Y. – Sarah Cartmill connected for 24 points Saturday afternoon as Binghamton University picked apart the UMaine defense for 53 percent shooting on its way to an 85-71 America East women’s basketball victory at West Gymnasium.

The Bearcats improved to 13-3 overall and assumed sole possession of first place with a 4-1 conference record. Binghamton, which had its highest offensive output of the season, has now won 14 consecutive games on its home court.

The 10-7 Black Bears slipped to 3-3 in America East. UMaine had wiped out an 18-point second-half deficit to beat the Bearcats 63-62 in overtime Jan. 3 in Orono.

This time, UMaine was unable to slow down a surging Binghamton team. The hosts placed five players in double figures, taking advantage of their inside attack.

“Our teams are the best defensive teams in the conference and we both totally went over our field goal percentage,” said UMaine coach Sharon Versyp, who pointed to one of the problems as, “transition defense. They did a nice job. Our kids didn’t get back.”

Binghamton’s 53 percent shooting (31-for-58) was the best against UMaine this season and the first time an opponent shot better than 50 percent. The Bears had gone into the contest limiting opponents to a .359 shooting percentage, the best in the league.

Cartmill, a 5-foot-10 forward, hit 10 of 17 shots on her way to the 24 points and also grabbed seven rebounds. Kate Townley scored 11 of her 19 points from the foul line and handed out six assists.

Leala Wegwerth and Iesha Eldridge scored 11 points each and Andrea Herold added 10 and six assists.

“They’re playing incredible,” Versyp said. “They’re playing with high emotion and there’s other kids that are stepping up for them without Leah Truncale [knee injury]. Binghamton’s the real deal.”

The Bears played a solid offensive game, shooting 50 percent from the field. However, they were plagued by frontcourt foul trouble.

Sophomore Heather Ernest of Temple tied a career high with 25 points to pace UMaine, but she played only 26 minutes and fouled out with 4:52 left.

Freshman point guards Missy Traversi and Kim Corbitt connected for 13 points each, with Traversi dishing out six assists.

The Bears outrebounded the Bearcats 33-22, but UMaine committed 20 turnovers while Binghamton made only 10.

The hosts made their move after Ernest picked up her third and fourth fouls during a 55-second span early in the second half.

“When Heather got those fouls, we were in trouble,” Versyp said. “She was really scoring and when she got her fourth foul, I think that was a big turning point.”

Leading 50-47, Wegwerth hit a 3-pointer to jumpstart a 12-0 scoring run. Dagmara Bartula made a jumper, Eldridge converted a conventional three-point play, then Cartmill made layups 12 seconds apart to push Binghamton’s advantage to 62-47 with 10:35 remaining.

Ernest was reinserted into the lineup and scored nine of the Bears’ next 10 points to get UMaine within 64-54 at the 7:23 mark. However, Townley countered with two layups in a span of 45 seconds to push the lead back to 68-54.

Binghamton outscored UMaine 19-7 from the foul line, making 14 of 16 in the second half.

BEARCATS 85, BLACK BEARS 71

Maine (10-7) Binghamton (13-3)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Veilleux 0 2 0 0 0 Wegwerth 4 11

Peterson 3 5 1 2 7 Cartmill 10 17 4 8 24

Heon 2 8 0 0 5 Dypolt 2 4 0 4

Ernest 10 16 3 5 25 Kelly 1 5 2

Corbitt 6 9 0 0 13 Townley 4 9 11 12 19

Traversi 4 6 2 2 13 Herold 4 6 10

Moldre 0 1 0 0 0 Miller 0 1 0

Guerrette 2 7 1 2 6 Eldridge 4 11

Jay 0 1 0 0 0 Hibler 1 2 0 2

James 1 1 0 0 2 Bartula 1 1 2

Cruz 0 0 0 2 0

Totals 28 56 7 13 71 Totals 31 58 19 30 85

Maine 38 71

Binghamton 40 85

3-pt. goals ? Maine (8-19): Veilleux 0-1, Heon 1-4, Ernest 2-3, Corbitt 1-2, Traversi 3-4, Guerrette 1-5; Binghamton: ? (4-9): Wegwerth 2-2, Cartmill 0-2, Kelly 0-2, Herold 2-2, Eldridge 0-1

Attendance: 868