Stony Brook falls to Binghamton, 57-50

The Stony Brook men's basketball team cut a 16-point second-half deficit to three before dropping a 57-50 decision to Binghamton Monday night in Vestal, N.Y.

The Bearcats built a 36-20 lead early in the second half, but when Stony Brook's Dave Coley put in a layup after stripping Binghamton's Jimmy Gray, the Seawolves moved within 51-48 with 4:03 to play. But Stony Brook missed its final six shots and went only 2-for-5 from the free-throw line in the game's final minute.

Moussa Camara scored 28 points for Binghamton, going 7-for-12 from the field, 5-for-9 from three-point range and 9-for-10 from the free-throw line. He entered the game averaging only 7.6 points per game.

"I just got into the rhythm and they kept falling," he said. "I had no idea where I was when I was shooting. I just took open shots. We were ready to play."

It was the third straight loss for the Seawolves (6-9, 1-2 America East). Binghamton, which hit eight three-pointers, is 5-10, 2-0.

"I thought we had some good looks at the basket, but they just didn't go in,'' Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell said. "You have to be able to finish to win games like these on the road. I thought we played well on defense, but they also played good defense.''

Marcus Rouse scored 14 points and Al Rapier had 12 rebounds for the Seawolves, who were held to 18-for-62 shooting from the field. Stony Brook scoring leader Bryan Dougher, who entered the game averaging 13.6 points per game, was 0-for-10 from the field, including 0-for-7 from three-point range, and Coley was 3-for-11.

The Seawolves took an 11-6 lead on Preye Preboye's dunk, but Camara scored 13 points to fuel a 16-1 run by the Bearcats, including a three-pointer that made it 22-12. Binghamton held SBU without a field goal for nearly eight minutes.

Stony Brook closed the first half with six straight points to move within 25-20. But the Bearcats opened the second half with an 11-0 run on two three-pointers by Mahamoud Jabbi and one by Camara, plus a pair of free throws by Camara. That gave Binghamton a 36-20 lead.

Stony Brook battled back by holding the Bearcats scoreless for nearly six minutes and without a field goal for more than seven minutes. But after Coley's layup brought the Seawolves within three, Dougher missed two potential tying three-pointers. Camara's two free throws with 16 seconds left made it 56-50.

Binghamton played without leading scorer Greer Wright, who is nursing an ankle injury.