Box Score
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VESTAL, N.Y. – Redshirt-freshman Jahad Thomas (Williamsport, Pa.) notched his second consecutive 20-point game and freshman Lance Crawford (Davie, Fla.) posted a career-high 17 points for the UMass Lowell men's basketball team (9-13, 3-6) in a hard-fought, 76-69 loss at Binghamton (4-20, 3-6) on Saturday.
 
Despite holding just a one-point edge at the half, Binghamton went 14-for-17 (82.4%) from the floor in the second to lead by as many as 12. The River Hawks battled throughout the entire contest, though, and were within two possessions in the final minute, but the late surge was not enough to overcome the deficit.  
 
"I thought Binghamton played a good basketball game today," said Head Coach Pat Duquette. "They shot the ball well and played really well on their home court. This is a better Binghamton team than we faced a month ago. We struggled for most of the game to score in the half court, but their pressure didn't turn us over, so I thought we did a good job against that."
 
Thomas' 10 field goals in the outing marked a personal-best. He also led the team on the glass with 10 rebounds for his second double-double. Crawford's three three-pointers were a season-high, as well. Senior Chad Holley (New York, N.Y.) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points.  
 
Both sides were slow to shoot in the opening minutes of play. UMass Lowell jumped out in front, as graduate student Marco Banegas-Flores (Boston, Mass.) scored the first points of the day with a three from the far corner. However, Binghamton took advantage of the six scoreless minutes that followed for the River Hawks, posting nine straight points to take the upper hand.  
 
Thomas broke the silence for the visitors with back-to-back field goals, cutting the difference to 11-7 with less than 12 minutes to play in the first half.  The teams then traded baskets and BU led by as many as nine, until freshman Matt Harris (Erie, Pa.) drained a long ball to spark a 13-4 spurt for the River Hawks and knot the score, 22-22, at 3:37.
 
Junior DJ Mlachnik (Muskego, Wis.), making his first appearance in four games, gave the River Hawks a 25-23 edge with a jumper from long range, but the home team quickly answered with a three of its own, helping the squad take a slight, 28-27 lead into the break.
 
Coming out of halftime, Thomas pulled up for a jumper and Crawford drained one from three-point territory to tie the score once again at 32-32. After one more stalemate at 34-34, the Bearcats notched 12 straight points to go ahead, 46-34, with just over 13 minutes still to play.
 
Crawford converted on a pair of field goals and Harris added a layup to make it a 10-point game at 12:27. Binghamton would maintain the double-digit lead until redshirt-senior Kerry Weldon (New York, N.Y.) hit a layup and Crawford followed with consecutive buckets to pull the visitors within five at 56-51 with 7:54 to play.
 
UMass Lowell made it a five-point game three more times, including at 74-69 with 25 seconds remaining, but the Bearcats were able to fend off the comeback and take the 76-69 decision.
 
As a whole, Binghamton shot 60.0% (24-40) overall from the field, including 53.8% (7-13) from three-point range. Yosef Yacob and Willie Rodriguez paced the Bearcats with 15 points.  
 
Saturday contest marked the ninth meeting between UMass Lowell and Binghamton in the sport of men's basketball. The River Hawks still lead the all-time series, 7-2. UMass Lowell returns to action on Thursday, February 5 when the team welcomes UMBC to Costello Athletic Center for a 7 p.m. contest.