Boston University
11-9, 8-0AE
Binghamton
13-8, 6-2AE
Terriers Hold off Binghamton in 65-60 Triumph
January 26, 2011 | Women's Basketball
BOSTON - In a game that came right down to the wire, the Boston University women's basketball team (11-9, 8-0 AE) held off a resilient Binghamton side (13-8, 6-2 AE) as it earned a 65-60 victory on Wednesday evening at Agganis Arena. Sophomore Mo Moran once again provided an offensive spark for the Terriers with 16 points, and classmate Chantell Alford and senior Kerry Cashman added 13 points apiece.
The Bearcats came to within one point, 61-60, with 1:38 remaining in the game, but Cashman drove to the basket for a layup with 34 seconds left to push the lead to three points and Moran sunk both of her free throws with one tick on the scoreboard to grind out the team's eighth straight victory.
BU and Binghamton matched up in nearly every statistical category of the game, however, BU's aggressive offensive scheme put it at the charity stripe 18 times and it went on to earn 13 crucial points from that spot. On the flip side, the Bearcats were a mere 3-for-8 from the free throw line. Additionally, BU made the most of Binghamton's 17 miscues as it scored 22 points off turnovers.
Moran earned America East Player of the Game honors, as she was 6-for-11 from the field and 3-for-4 from the line with three steals and six rebounds. Alford was 4-for-16 with three treys - including one in the first half that aided in the team's 24-5 run. Alford also dished out four assists, swiped two balls and blocked three shots. Cashman was the third Terrier to reach double figures with 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting and 3-for-6 free throw shooting.
The Bearcats jumped out to an 11-2 lead as the Terriers went 1-for-10 from the field in the first seven minutes of the contest. A 3-pointer by sophomore Kristen Sims helped jumpstart an impressive 24-5 run that put the home squad up, 26-16, at 4:50 when Cashman drove to the bucket for a layup. At the break, BU owned an 11-point advantage, 35-24, as Alford poured in 11 first-half points.
BU grabbed its largest lead of the game at 16:37 of the second half when Moran pulled up for a mid-range jumper to move the score to 41-24 - an imposing 17-point deficit for the Bearcats. Binghamton did not give in however as it outscored BU, 29-12, over a 10-minute period to knot the score, 53-53.
The Bearcats briefly took a 55-54 lead, but a trey from senior Kat Briggs at 3:48 put the Terriers back on top. Over the next three minutes, the contest remained within two possessions and BU could not extend its lead beyond four points. With a slim one-point advantage, 61-60, with just 1:38 remaining in regulation, Cashman took the game in her hands as she drove to the basket to score her 13th point of the game on layup.
Binghamton had two opportunities to send the game into overtime in the final 30 seconds but both 3-point attempts banked off the backboard and Moran scooped up the rebound on the second try. Moran than wrapped up the victory with two free throws with one second left on the clock.
BU will host New Hampshire on Saturday (Jan. 29) at 1 p.m. The game will be aired on NESN.
