For Immediate Release: January 22, 2005
Contact: John Hartrick
Phone: 607-777-6800

Binghamton men's basketball stunned by UMBC in final second, 61-59
Bearcats lead entire game until missed free throws open door for Retrievers

Box score

BALTIMORE, Md. - Brian Hodges nailed a three-pointer with 1.2 seconds left, lifting UMBC (8-9, 3-5 America East) to a thrilling 61-59 win over visiting Binghamton (5-12, 2-6 AE) in an America East men's basketball game Saturday night at the Retriever Activities Center. With the defeat, BU fell to 0-8 on the road in 2004-05.

The Bearcats never trailed until allowing the game-winner. They led 57-47 on a three-pointer by freshman point guard Mike Gordon (Plainfield, N.J.) with 6:01 remaining. But Binghamton managed just one field goal in the final 6:00 (1-for-7) and missed the front end of three crucial one-and-one opportunities in the final 1:31 - each by junior forward Sebastian Hermenier (Rockville, Md.), a 73% foul shooter entering the game.

"It was a good effort ... we did everything we had to do until the last minute," head coach Al Walker said. "If you make your free throws the game is over. It's just one of those finishes that we can't seem to avoid this year. Sebastian is our best free throw shooter and has been in that situation many times before. It's just a shame."

Junior guard Andre Heard (Oklahoma City, Okla.) scored a team-high 13 points, and senior centers Nick Billings (Kodiak, Alaska) and Alex Adediran (Covington, Ga.) chipped in 10 points apiece. Hermenier played an outstanding all-around game, producing a game-high nine rebounds and eight points.

In a sizzling start to the game, BU hit 9 of its first 11 shots and used an 11-0 run to forge a 14-point lead, 29-15, with 6:50 to play in the first period. The Bearcats shot 54% in the half, though UMBC trimmed the margin to eight, 35-27, at the break.

UMBC received a team-high 14 points from John Zito.

Binghamton returns home for two games in a four-day span, beginning with a Thursday night test against league-leading Vermont. The Catamounts are 8-0 in conference play, and have defeated BU in six of seven games.

NOTES
In his second consecutive start at point guard, Gordon scored a season-high five points. He also added five rebounds and a team-high four assists in 32 minutes ... BU guards made just 3-of-14 three-point attempts ... After shooting 54% in the first half, the Bearcats slipped 20 points down to 34% over the final 20 minutes.