For Immediate Release: November 18, 2004
Contact: David O'Brian (dobrian@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6478

Bearcats lose season opener to North Texas 62-44

Box Score

DENTON, TX--Playing against a tenacious North Texas defense, the Binghamton women's basketball team (0-1) struggled early on and lost 61-44 to the host Mean Green (1-0) on Friday afternoon at the Super Pit. The defeat marks the fifth year in a row that the Bearcats have dropped their season-opening game.

The key to the game was the first half, as North Texas built a 30-10 halftime advantage. The Mean Green forced 22 Binghatmon turnovers and allowed just three field goals and 14 field goal attempts. The Mean Green blew the game open early with a 10-2 run in a span of 7:10 to take a 14-2 lead with 10:57 remaining in the first half. North Texas also went on a 10-0 run in a span of 6:10 to take a 28-9 lead with 1:30 remaining.

"North Texas really came out and forced the issue in the first half," head coach Rich Conover said. "We prepared well for them but they still were able to take control of the game. We adjusted well in the second half but by then it was too late."

For Binghamton, junior guard Rachel Laws (Wyncote, Pa.) netted a team-high nine points and pulled down a team-high nine rebounds. Her streak of 24 straight games scoring in double figures, however, came to an end. Junior forward Jen Haubrich (Bow, N.H.) added seven points and senior center Kristin Hibler (Hutchinson, Kan.) added seven rebounds.

North Texas was led by Kelsie Edwards, who scored a game-high 14 points.

The Bearcats face Marshall next Saturday at 1 p.m. in the first game of the Binghamton/Time Warner Classic at the Events Center. Robert Morris and Brown are the other two teams in the tournament.