For Immediate Release: January 22, 2008
Contact: David O'Brian (dobrian@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6478

Binghamton women's basketball falls 62-45 to Hartford

Box Score

VESTAL, N.Y. -- Sophomore forward Erica Beverly recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, leading Hartford (14-4, 4-1 AE) to a 62-45 win over Binghamton (5-12, 3-1 AE) in an America East Conference women's basketball first-place showdown at the Chase Family Arena on Tuesday evening.

The game, which was regionally televised, ends the Bearcats' season-high three-game win streak.

The double-double was the third of the season for the Hawks' all-star. She led four players to finish in double figures.

Down 27-23 at the half, the Hawks went on a 19-0 blitz in the opening 7:18 of the second half to take a commanding 42-27 lead. Beverly scored six of her points during the run and the Bearcats misfired on their first nine attempts of the second half.

Binghamton went on an 8-0 run of their own to get to within 47-37 at the 8:30 mark, prompting Hartford to call a timeout. The Hawks, however, came out of the huddle and scored the next six points to secure a record 17th straight home win.

Hartford shot 51.6% in the decisive second half compared to the Bearcats' 26.1% (6-23).

Senior Laine Kurpniece (Riga, Latvia) led the Bearcats with 11 points. In the process, she become the 10th player in program history to reach the 1,000 point mark for her career. It was a layup with 1:13 gone in the first half that secured the milestone for the fourth-year Bearcat center.

The Bearcats were up 27-20 with 1:30 remaining in the first half. Kurpniece had nine of her points at that point. The Hawks trimmed the deficit to 27-23 at the break.

Senior Laura Sario (Espoo, Finland) joined Kurpniece in twin figures with 10 points. Junior Laura Franceski (Moscow, Pa.) added a team-high eight rebounds in 17 minutes of action.

Binghamton returns home on Saturday for a 2 p.m. against Stony Brook at the Events Center.

NOTES: Kuprniece is the third Binghamton player to score 1,000 points while playing all four years at the NCAA Division I level. She joins Rachel Laws (2002-06) and Jen Blues (2002-06) ... Binghamton was a season-best 1.000 from the free throw line, going 5-for-5 in the process.