LOWELL, Mass. – During the program's fifth annual Health & Fitness Field Trip Day, the UMass Lowell women's basketball team fell to Binghamton, 70-50, on Wednesday morning, in front of 3,819 local elementary school students.
 
For the second straight contest Kharis Idom (Orlando, Fla.) set a career high to lead the River Hawks (6-14, 2-5), scoring 21 points shooting 8-of-13 from the field. Bri Stiers (Denver, Colo.) snagged nine boards and Oda Shackelford (Edinburgh, Ind.) scored nine as well. 
 
"I think we ran into a team that played harder than we did today," remarked Head Coach Tom Garrick. "By the end of the fourth quarter we started to execute, but it was way too late. Credit to Binghamton because they came in here, executed and took advantage of where we lack to take control of the game."
 
Binghamton (8-11, 3-3) opened the contest on an 12-4 run before back-to-back baskets for the River Hawks cut the gap to four. After Katie McKie (Austin, Texas) connected on a pair of free throws to make it 14-10, the Bearcats responded with their third three-pointer of the quarter to open a seven-point gap heading into the second.
 
The Bearcats carried the momentum into the period, before Idom scored five points to bring the UMass Lowell deficit. to 26-16. Binghamton scored 10 of the next 14 points, including a bucket at the buzzer for the 36-20 advantage at the break.
 
Idom had seven points at the break and scored 12 of UMass Lowell's 19 points in the final quarter, including a heave at the buzzer. The freshman also dished out three assists and connected on a trio of three-pointers.
 
Rebecca Carmody led a pair of Bearcats in double-figures with 13 points, and added 10 rebounds with nine assists. Carly Boland added 12 points in the effort, and the pair combined for five of Binghamton's nine triples.
 
The River Hawks have reached their bye week and will return to action at Maine on January 30.