THE BASICS:

RESULT: Binghamton 76, Hartford 55
LOCATION: Events Center (Vestal, N.Y.)
ATTENDANCE: 1,843
RECORDS: Hartford (6-16, 1-6 America East); Binghamton (11-11, 2-5)

THE LEAD:
Jalen Ross (25) delivered his highest point output in conference play, but a cold-shooting second half for the Hartford men's basketball team saw Binghamton earn its second-straight win in conference play, 76-55, on Wednesday night.
 
Marlon Beck II led three players in double figures with 15 points, scoring all of his points after the break. Beck hit his first five triples of the second stanza, as the Bearcats caught fire from downtown in the second half (8-for-10) after a slow first half (2-for-10). Binghamton also saw Yosef Yacob (13) and Bobby Ahearn (12) also finish in double digits. Timmy Rose had eight points and nine assists in the win for BU.
 
The Hawks went 7-for-28 (.250) from the field after the break after a solid first half (14-for-30, .467).

FIRST HALF:
The opening stanza was a back-and-forth affair, with neither team holding a lead larger than four. The Hawks took their first lead at 7-4 after Jason Dunne's first three-ball of the night, but Binghamton responded with a 5-0 run of its own to regain the advantage. The Bearcats pushed their lead to four, at 15-11, then the teams traded points to a 19-15 score after an Everson Davis layup.
 
Ross drilled a triple to get the visitors going, and that shot sent the Hawks on a 10-2 run that resulted in a 25-21 lead. Ross had another three and Hassan Attia delivered a pair of baskets inside during the rally. The two teams traded blows over the next several possessions, with the Bearcats taking a 31-30 lead, but the Hawks got layups from Ross and John Carroll in the final minute of the stanza to enter the locker room up 34-31.

SECOND HALF:
Out of the break, Binghamton quickly drew ahead with an 8-2 run, but Dunne knotted things up with a triple to make it 39-39. That's when Binghamton's offensive roll coupled with a prolonged Hawks skein to result in a 14-0 run to give the home squad a 53-39 advantage. A Carroll free throw and a Ross jumper snapped the run, and Binghamton held a 53-42 edge.
 
The Bearcats delivered five-straight points to push the lead to a game-high 16, but Ross scored the next five points to draw it down to 11 once more. That was as close as the Hawks would get, though, as Binghamton pulled away in the closing minutes.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Ross extended his double-figure scoring streak to 36-straight games, dating back to January of last year. Wednesday marked his first game with at least 20 points in league action and his ninth overall on the season.
• Ross also grabbed six rebounds in the contest, his fourth in the last six contests with at least five caroms.
• Carroll had a season-high five offensive rebounds, grabbing nine total, for his most overall since grabbing 11 boards against Drexel on Nov. 18
• Hartford had another strong game in terms of blocks, totaling seven for the game, a new season high. Jack Hobbs matched his career high with two in the game.
• Attia added three blocks as well to give him a league-high 38. He now has at least three in nine of his 15 career games.

 
UP NEXT:
The Hawks return to West Hartford for a 7 p.m. tip against UAlbany on Saturday, Jan. 28. The program will host a Suits and Sneakers event benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer, as members of the American Cancer Society will be on site to collect donations, and give out glow sticks for those that donate any amount. In addition, it will be alumni night, with Hartford men's basketball alums returning to campus for the game. Tickets are available by calling 860.768.HAWK or at HartfordHawks.com.