For Immediate Release: January 6, 2006
Contact: John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6800

Binghamton University men's basketball knocks off Albany 83-72
Forbes pours in 25 points; Bearcats shoot season-high 58%

Box Score
Postgame quotes

VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton (8-6, 1-1 America East) put five players in double figures and stood firm down the stretch in holding off defending conference champion and preseason favorite Albany (8-6, 1-1 AE) 83-72 Saturday afternoon from the Events Center. The Bearcats shot a season-best 58% and won for the fifth time in seven games.

Junior guard Richard Forbes (Far Rockaway, N.Y.) scored a game-high 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting and sparked a first-half rally that gave the Bearcats the lead for good. Forbes, who had notched just three points in his last three games combined, nailed nine consecutive points during a 15-2 first-half run that turned an eight-point deficit into a five-point halftime lead. The Bearcats then opened the second half with a 13-4 run to establish a double-digit lead. Binghamton never relinquished its lead in the final period, shooting 63% before sealing the win by hitting 11-of-12 free throws in the final 1:10.

"It was a good game," head coach Al Walker said. "We defended, rebounded and scored points. That was one of our best team defensive performances. I'm very proud of our guys. We 've challenged them and if they'll understand that this is what it takes - then we'll be a good team. This is what we're capable of doing if we make stops. We can get out in the open floor and make plays. It was a great way to start this strenuous stretch of games (four games in nine days).

Senior guard Steve Proctor (Largo, Md.) scored 12 of his 18 points in the second half and junior point guard Mike Gordon (Plainfield, N.J.) was a rock with 11 points, eight assists and no turnovers in 37 minutes of action. Freshman forward Lazar Trifunovic (Belgrade, Serbia) had 11 points and senior forward Duane James (Miami, Fla.) added 10 points and six rebounds.

Albany, which also had five players in double figures, was led by senior guard and reigning conference player of the year Jamar Wilson, who scored 16 points before fouling out with 59 seconds left.

Binghamton next travels to Long Island to face Stony Brook on Tuesday.

NOTES
Forbes and Wilson were selected as the America East Players of the Game ... A season-high 3,458 fans watched the matchup between the top two America East teams from a year ago ... It was the seventh straight game that BU scored 70 or more points and the third time the Bearcats hit the 80-point plateau ... The 83 points were the most Albany has allowed in conference play since February 8, 2003 ... Proctor extended his double-figure scoring streak to eight games ... BU now owns a 9-3 series advantage over Albany since elevating to the Division I level ... The Bearcats are 7-1 in games when Forbes scores in twin figures