After losing back-to-back games against top flight competition, the Terriers were in need of an easy win to get back on track. Binghamton served just the trick, as the Terriers (12-13, 8-3 America East) blew open the game midway through the second half to hand Binghamton (0-23, 0-11 AE) their 24th consecutive loss.
Seniors Matt Griffin and Darryl Partin led a balanced Terriers attack with 13 points apiece in the 68-53 victory. Griffin knocked down 4-of-6 3-pointers and Partin, who came in averaging over 17 shots a contest, hit 4-of-11 his field goal attempts and 4-of-5 free throws.
Redshirt freshmen Malik Thomas finished with eight points and a team-high six rebounds off the bench in Boston University's sixth consecutive victory over the Bearcats. Point guard D.J. Irving added eight points and two assists, helping lead the Terriers offense to 50 percent (23-of-46) shooting for the day.
Binghamton was led by sophomore Robert Mansell and freshmen Ben Dickinson who tied for the game-high with 13 points each. Dickinson was extremely active, finishing with five rebounds, four assists and four fouls, including one where he got in a scrum with Terrier center Jeff Pelage.
The two players looked as if they appeared to exchange kicks, but Dickinson was only assessed a foul, while Pelage earned an intentional technical, which coincidentally was his fifth foul of the game. The altercation occurred with 3:45 remaining in the game and with Boston University leading 62-44.
Binghamton shot 44 percent (22-of-50) for the game but knocked down just three 3-pointers and 60 percent (6-of-10) of their free throws. The Bearcats managed to squander their 31-25 rebounding advantage, by turning the ball over 17 times, six more than Terriers.
After a first half in which the Terriers led by just eight points (28-20) at the break, Boston University blew the game open at the halfway point of the second stanza. The home team managed to cut the deficit to nine points (44-35) with 11:19 remaining on a Jimmy Gray 3-pointer, but the Terriers would proceed to go on a 22-9 run over the next nine minutes.
Boston University started the run with a 7-0 streak, behind consecutive baskets from Irving and Partin, followed by a Thomas three. Irving scored six of his eight points during the stretch and Griffin capped off the run with seven of the final 10 points, including two of the Terriers seven 3-pointers on the day.
The Terriers will be back in action in Upstate New York Monday night, when they take on Albany University at 7 p.m. EDT. Both teams sit near the top of the America East standings, with the Terriers currently holding the third spot, a game ahead of the Great Danes.