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LOWELL, Mass. – Kayla Gibbs (Teaneck, N.J.) recorded her 10th career double-double with a 16-point and career-high 18 rebound performance, but it was not enough as the UMass Lowell (3-12, 0-2) women's basketball team fell in its America East home opener, 58-48, to the Binghamton Bearcats (7-8, 2-0) on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Teaneck, N.J. native's 18 boards is the most by an America East player in a game this season. Tyshay Britten (Norristown, Pa.) grabbed 12, as well, as the River Hawks outrebounded the Bearcats, 51-35.
 
"It was a tough game, but Kayla did a great job and had an impressive performance and has continued to get better this season," commented Head Coach Jenerrie Harris. "Overall I wish we could have had a bit more consistency on both ends of the floor. We still need to improve on some things that will help us pull out some wins."
 
Imani Watkins led the visitors with 19 points and hit four of her team's six three-pointers. Jasmine Sina added 12 for Binghamton.
 
Both teams started slow as the River Hawks built a 7-3 lead with 82 seconds left in the first quarter. Nicole Hayner (Bedford, N.H.) connected on a triple to start the run, but the Bearcats battled back to tie the contest at 7-7 heading into the second.
 
Binghamton continued its run and took a 15-8 behind five points from Imani Watkins in the opening minutes of the second period. Kayla Gibbs ended the drought for UMass Lowell and scored four consecutive points to bring the River Hawks within 15-12 with less than seven minutes remaining in the half.
 
UMass Lowell added four more points and took a 16-15 advantage off a Megan Hendrick (Alexandria, Va.) jumper with 4:20 on the clock, but Watkins answered with another triple just three seconds later.
 
Binghamton's Rebecca Carmody netted a pair of baskets in the final minutes to open up a 22-16 buffer, but Katherine Smith (Fort Wayne, Ind.) recorded the final points of the half with 56 seconds left to cut the halftime deficit to 22-18.
 
The Bearcats opened the second half on a 7-0 run before Gibbs recorded her double-double to make the score 29-20. Markayla Sherman (Cincinnati, Ohio) answered a 5-0 spurt with a three to cut the deficit to 34-23 with 5:38 left in the third.
 
Hayner finished the game with 15 points, hitting four threes in the effort, and Gibbs dished out a game-high six assists.
 
The River Hawks welcome the Maine Black Bears to Costello Athletic Center on January 11 for a 7 p.m. tip.