Bearcats’ second half surge tips UM

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VESTAL, N.Y. – Laura Sario scored five points to spark a critical 12-0 second-half run Saturday that carried Binghamton to a 64-57 America East women’s basketball victory over the University of Maine at The Events Center.

Coach Cindy Blodgett’s Black Bears (7-19) led by as many as 10 points early in the second half, but they surrendered 46 second-half points as the Bearcats (9-16) shot 57 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes.

UMaine, 4-9 in league play, remains in seventh place in the AE standings, a half-game ahead of New Hampshire (3-9), with three games remaining. Binghamton (7-5) is tied for fourth with Boston University.

Turnovers were again a major problem for the Bears, who committed 27 in Saturday’s contest. The Bearcats turned the miscues into 20 points.

Junior Colleen Kilmurray led UMaine with 16 points, five rebounds and three assists. Senior Kris Younan tossed in 13 points to go with three assists and three steals.

Freshman Christina Mosher of Farmington contributed eight points and eight rebounds and sophomore Amanda Tewksbury added eight points and five rebounds.

The Bears outrebounded the Bearcats 34-30.

Binghamton was led by post player Laine Kurpniece’s game-high 21 points. Sario tossed in 12 points, with Juta Jahilo and Erica Carter contributing 10 points each.

UMaine, which held a 20-18 halftime edge, extended the lead to 10 points with a 12-4 run. Kilmurray spearheaded the charge with a jumper, two free throws and a pair of 3-pointers as the Bears made it 32-22 with 15:35 remaining.

Binghamton eventually regained its composure and outscored the Bears 40-23 during the final 14:36.

The hosts got back into the contest with a 14-7 scoring run that cut the deficit to 39-36 with 10:44 to play. The Bearcats then dominated over the final six minutes.

Kurpniece, who went 8-for-9 from the floor, kicked off the late surge with a layup at the 5:39 mark that put Binghamton in front 46-45. After a UMaine miss, Jahilo drove in for a basket that elicited a timeout by the Bears.

UMaine came out of the break and immediately committed a turnover, which the Bearcats eventually converted with a Sario 3-pointer with 4:04 left.

The Bears made turnovers on their next three possessions and Binghamton responded with seven more unanswered points while extending their lead to 57-46 with 2:25 to play.

UMaine never got closer than five points after that.

The Bears return to action Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. against Vermont at Alfond Arena in Orono.

BEARCATS 64, BLACK BEARS 57

Maine (7-19) Binghamton (9-16)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Boser 3 4 0 1 6 Jahilo 5 7 10

Kilmurray 4 9 6 6 16 Thompsn 0 7 0

Mosher 4 9 0 0 8 Kurpniece 8 21

Younan 5 9 0 0 13 Sario 5 14 12

Tewksbury 2 8 4 4 8 Sadler 0 3 6

Baker 0 1 0 0 0 Peterson 0 0

Ross 0 4 2 2 2 Ward 0 3 0 0

Bratishko 1 2 2 2 4 Carter 4 8 10

Franceski 2 6 5

Owens 0 0 0 0

Totals 19 46 14 15 57 Totals 24 58 13 15 64

Maine 20 57

Binghamton 18 46

3-pt. goals – Maine (5-14): Kilmurray 2-5, Younan 3-5, Tewksbury 0-1, Ross 0-3; Binghamton (3-20): Thompson 0-2, Sario 1-7, Sadler 0-3, Ward 0-3, Carter 2-5

Attendance: 1,763