For Immediate Release: January 6, 2005
Contact: John Hartrick
Phone: 607-777-6800

Adediran, Jackson lead Binghamton men's basketball past Maine, 65-52
Bearcats put three in double figures, post first America East victory

Box score
Post-Game Quotes

VESTAL, N.Y. - Senior center Alex Adediran (Covington, Ga.) scored a career-high 18 points and matched his career-high with nine rebounds, carrying Binghamton (4-8, 1-2 America East) past Maine (7-4, 2-0 AE), 65-52, in an America East men's basketball game from the Events Center Thursday night.

Adediran hit on 7-of-10 from the floor and scored 11 of his 18 points in the pivotal second half. Junior guard Schafer Jackson (Provo, Utah) dropped in 3-of-6 three-pointers and scored 11 of his season-high 14 points in the final period.

The Bearcats led by six at the break and held a slim 40-38 margin with 9:52 to play before Adediran hit a jumper in the lane and Jackson followed with a three-pointer 20 seconds later to boost the lead to seven, 45-38. Maine didn't come closer than five the rest of the way, and the Bearcats sealed the win with five free throws in the final 1:13 - four courtesy of junior forward Sebastian Hermenier (Rockville, Md.), who wound up with 10 points in 22 minutes.

"It was terrific," head coach Al Walker said of the result. "It's a good win for us. It puts us on track. We didn't play great but we grinded it out and got a 'W' going into the next two road games. I thought Sebastian (Hermenier) and Schafer (Jackson) each had a great second half and Alex (Adediran) is becoming a presence in the low post."

Senior forward Billy Williams (Milwaukee, Wis.) put forth another strong all-around effort with a season-high 11 points, five steals, five rebounds and four assists.

"It was another great game for Billy," Walker said. "He's a good competitor and it's good to see him compete at such a high level.

Binghamton posted the win without much help from top two scorers Andre Heard (Oklahoma City, Okla.) and Troy Hailey (Hyattsville, Md.). Heard, recovering from the flu, struggled to a 3-of-16 shooting night, and Hailey was held scoreless for the first time in his stellar two-year career. Heard did chip in nine points, a team-high five assists and three steals in 39 minutes.

Despite shooting just 36%, Maine put four players in double figures, led by senior forward Mark Flavin, who tallied 16 points. Classmate Joe Campbell added 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

Binghamton next plays at Boston University at 1 p.m. on Sunday.