For Immediate Release: February 20, 2006
Contact: John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6800

Hermenier, Gordon lead BU men's basketball past UMBC 66-63
Victory is 11th in last 14 games, clinches No. 2 tournament seed for Bearcats

Box Score

VESTAL, N.Y. - Senior forward Sebastian Hermenier (Rockville, Md.) drained the go-ahead three-pointer with 48 seconds left and sophomore point guard Mike Gordon (Plainfield, N.J.) added two free throws with 11 seconds left to lead Binghamton (14-12, 11-4 America East) past visiting UMBC (9-16, 5-9 AE) 66-63 Monday night at the Events Center. With the win, Binghamton clinched second place in the conference standings and will carry the No. 2 seed into the tournament, which BU will host beginning March 3.

"It was a real battle," head coach Al Walker said. "It was a little too close at the end. We were sloppy with the ball but just the fact that we were able to make two great plays at the end is huge for us. The guys showed a lot of character."

The Bearcats seemed in control throughout the game, leading by as many as 17 points in the first half and 12 points with just 4:34 remaining. But the Retrievers went on a 14-1 run that featured eight points from sophomore guard Brian Hodges. Hodges began the run with two free throws and a three-pointer and finished it with a three-point play with 1:05 left that gave UMBC its first and only lead of the game, 62-61. On that play, BU junior forward Duane James (Miami, Fla.) went crashing to the floor after taking a knee to his head and was taken to a nearby hospital for observation.

On the next possession, Hermenier took a feed from senior Andre Heard (Oklahoma City, Okla.) in the right corner and nailed a three-pointer to restore BU's lead, 64-62. At the other end of the floor, UMBC senior forward John Zito was fouled and amid thunderous noise from the 3,803 in attendance, made just 1-of-2 free throws with 13 seconds left. Gordon then stepped up sank a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left for the final margin. A Hodges desperation three-pointer bounced off the back rim as time expired.

Hermenier posted his sixth double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Gordon wound up with career-high 17 points. He added five assists and three steals. Heard and James chipped in 15 and 10 points respectively.

The Bearcats converted 25-of-29 free throws - including 15-of-17 in the second half.

Zito led UMBC with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Binghamton concludes its regular season with a road game Sunday at Vermont.

NOTES
The win, BU's 14th of the season, ties the most in the program's Division I tenure and the most in head coach Al Walker's six years at Binghamton... The team's 11th America East win is the most in its America East history... Mike Gordon went 6-for-6 from the line and has now hit his last 18 free throws spanning seven games... The Bearcats have won 11 of their last 14 games.