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LOWELL, Mass. –  Despite a career-high 27 points from Kayla Gibbs (Teaneck, N.J.) the UMass Lowell (3-16, 0-7) fell in an overtime heartbreaker, 75-70, to the Binghamton Bearcats (9-10, 4-2), Sunday at the Tsongas Center.

"It was a really, really tough game to come out on the losing side of," said Head Coach Jenerrie Harris. "We played a hard-fought game and credit to Binghamton to come back like that, even after having their best player foul out in regulation. You have to credit their resilience, but at the end of the day we didn't make enough winning plays in the fourth quarter or overtime to come away with the win."

Gibbs also recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 10 rebounds, and set a career-high with 12 made field goals. Lindsey Doucette (Hopkinton, Mass.) continued her trek to 1,000 points, adding 19 and grabbing nine boards.

Imani Watkins paved the way for the Bearcats, scoring 27 points and registering six steals. Kim Albrecht added 23 points, while Alyssa James added 10 and nine rebounds.

With 7:17 remaining in the third quarter, the River Hawks led 47-36 but the Bearcats cut into the lead, using a 13-8 run to enter the fourth tailing 55-49. Doucette tied her career-high of five steals in the frame, causing three turnovers in a span of 1:44.

Binghamton continued its momentum into the final period and got within 57-56 with 7:15 remaining in regulation. The Bearcats took their first lead since 8-7 in the first quarter, 59-57, following a traditional three-point play by Watkins with 6:35 on the clock. Watkins converted another three-point play to extend the lead to 62-58 with under five remaining.

Gibbs set her career-high with two free throws to bring the River Hawks within 63-60 with 2:29 left in regulation, and Doucette added a pair to trim the score to 63-62 with under a minute to go. After a jump ball, Frase led a fast break that ended with Gibbs laying the ball in to give the River Hawks a 64-63 advantage

The Bearcats committed a turnover with 19.2 ticks left on the clock, but the River Hawks could not get the ball in resulting in a five second call. A loose ball scramble ended in another Binghamton turnover with 7.6 seconds remaining, leading to two Doucette free throws.  

As time ran down, Albrecht wouldn't back down, drilling a deep game-tying three-pointer with 0.4 on the clock, and the teams headed to overtime knotted up at 66-66.

Doucette scored the first two points of overtime, but the Bearcats built a 71-68 advantage. Frase knocked down a jumper with 48 seconds left, but Kristin Ross navigated through the paint for a lay up with 12.2 clicks showing. Down 73-70, UMass Lowell could not connect in their final possession and Binghamton ice the game with two free throws.

From the onset, the River Hawks' offense went through Gibbs as the sophomore scored the first five points for the hosts. UMass Lowell took a 7-6 lead with just over five minutes remaining on Lindsey Doucette's first basket of the day. The Bearcats took an 8-7 lead with 3:35 on the clock, and the hosts responded with a 10-0 run. After a key offensive rebound by Katherine Smith (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Melissa Frase (Tamworth, N.H.) drilled a three-pointer for a 12-8 lead, and Doucette followed with a nifty drive to the hoop. Nicole Hayner (Bedford, N.H.) capped the run with a three with 65 seconds on the clock, putting the hosts out in front 17-8.

After Binghamton's Albrecht ended the drought with a three of her own, Hayner hit another triple as the River Hawks entered the second quarter with a 20-13 advantage.

Gibbs scored the lone basket in the first three minutes of the second frame for either team, and Asia Mitchell-Owens added a corner three 13 seconds after the Bearcats got on the board. With 5:22 remaining in the half, Nicole Riddick converted a traditional three-point play to give the River Hawks their largest lead at 30-17.

Behind eight points from Albrecht, Binghamton cut the deficit to 34-28 with under two minutes to go until halftime. Frase extended the River Hawks advantage to 39-30 with a three, and the hosts took a 39-32 lead into the locker rooms.

Albrecht and Watkins led all scorers at the half with 13 and 11 points, respectively. Gibbs and Doucette controlled the River Hawks' offense with nine and eight points, with Riddick adding seven.

Gibbs broke out in the second half, scoring 14 of UMass Lowell's 16 points in the third quarter. Frase led the team with five assists.

The loss drops the River Hawks' record in the Tsongas Center to 6-4 all-time, and 4-3 in the Division I era, snapping a four-game winning streak.

UMass Lowell is back in action at the Tsongas for Health and Fitness Field Trip Day, in front of 2,300 elementary and middle school students, against UAlbany at 11 a.m.