For Immediate Release: December 27, 2006
Contact: John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6800

Binghamton men's basketball unravels in 90-83 loss to Pepperdine
Bearcats' win streak snapped, will play Alcorn State in consolation game of Lobo Classic

Box Score

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Pepperdine (4-10) used a 19-5 second half run to pull away from Binghamton (6-5) 90-83 Thursday night in the opening round of the Comcast Lobo Invitational. The Bearcats are now relegated to Friday's consolation game, where they will meet Alcorn State, which lost to host New Mexico, 91-59 in the other first-round game.

In a face-paced and sloppy game, BU had nearly as many turnovers (25) than field goals (27) as they returned to action after an eight-day holiday layoff. The teams traded baskets for much of the game before Pepperdine took control as the Bearcats seemed to fatigue in the second half. With BU ahead 57-56 with 12 minutes remaining, the Wave embarked on the decisive run that featured four three-pointers and three layups.

"We didn't play well at all," head coach Al Walker said. "We turned it over and that's how we lost. It just wasn't a good performance coming off the Christmas break."

Junior guard Mike Gordon (Plainfield, N.J.) scored a career-high 22 points and senior guard Troy Hailey (Hyattsville, Md.) added 19 points but BU gave up a season-high 90 points on defense and saw its four-game win streak snapped.

The Bearcats were quick out of the gate, hitting 3-of-4 from three-point range in the opening 3:27 to jump ahead 12-2. Binghamton led for most of the first half, which was played at a frantic pace that saw the teams combine for nearly as many turnovers (25) as field goals (30). Pepperdine closed out the period with a 13-5 run to grab a 44-41 lead at intermission. Gordon scored 12 points in the opening frame and Hailey added eight points before being relegated to the bench with two fouls.

Senior forward Duane James (Miami, Fla.) produced a double-double with a career-high 14 rebounds and 10 points. Freshman forward Lazar Trifunovic (Belgrade, Serbia) collected nine points and four rebounds.

NOTES
The tournament is a homecoming for junior center Giovanni Olomo (Yaounde, Cameroon), who played high school ball at Rio Grande High in Albuquerque...Binghamton's leading scorer, Richard Forbes (15.7 ppg.), was held scoreless for the first time this season.