UMBC

Darryl Proctor was the America East Player of the Game with 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

BALTIMORE—Five Retrievers scored in double figures and UMBC withstood a 20-point Binghamton comeback as the men’s basketball team defeated America East rival Binghamton, 63-59, Saturday afternoon at the RAC Arena. The Retrievers improve to 17-7 overall and maintain their spot atop the America East standings at 9-2 with their fifth straight victory, their longest winning streak since 2001-02. The Bearcats fall to 10-13 overall and 6-5 in the conference.

UMBC’s 17 wins this season are tied for the fourth-most in 22 years of Division I competition. The Retrievers went 17-11 during the 1988-89 campaign.

The Retrievers jumped out to a 17-4 lead after 11 minutes of action and built their advantage to 15 points, 33-18, at halftime with a 10-3 run over the final 3:23 of the period.

UMBC shot 50 percent in the first half but held Binghamton to just 29.2 percent from the floor, and the Retrievers held a 20-11 rebounding advantage.

But the second half was a different story, as the Retrievers made just nine field goals and were outscored, 41-30, by the Bearcats, who shot 48.6 percent in the period.

UMBC opened a game-high 20-point lead, 42-22, at the 15:13 mark with a 9-4 run to start the second half. But nine points by Dwayne Jackson sparked a 15-4 Bearcat run that saw Binghamton cut its deficit to single digits with 10:57 to play.

Three points apiece by UMBC guard Jay Greene and Ray Barbosa briefly halted Binghamton’s comeback, but another 11-4 Bearcat spurt brought them back to within six points, 56-50, with 6:43 remaining. Binghamton was aided by 13 straight rebounds during an eight-and-a-half-minute stretch.

Barbosa drained a 3-pointer at the 6:23 mark to put the Retrievers ahead by nine, but it would be the last points UMBC would score for five full minutes. Binghamton scored nine straight points during that stretch to tie the game on a 3-pointer by guard Chretien Lukusa with 2:02 remaining.

A lay-up by senior forward Cavell Johnson put the Retrievers back on top, 61-59, with 1:24 to play, and on Binghamton’s next possession, Johnson blocked Richard Forbes’ layup and grabbed the rebound.

Lukusa fouled junior forward Darryl Proctor, who missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Binghamton forward Reggie Fuller grabbed the loose ball. Jackson, however, missed the jumper, and with 13 seconds left, Mike Gordon fouled Greene, who hit both free throws to seal the 63-59 victory.

Johnson led five Retrievers in double figures with 13 points. Proctor scored 12, followed by Greene with 11 and Barbosa and forward Justin Fry with 10 apiece. Proctor was named UMBC’s America East Player of the Game after adding a team-best seven rebounds and five assists.

Fuller posted a double-double with 19 points on 9-of-11 shooting and 12 rebounds and was named Binghamton’s America East Player of the Game. Jackson was the only other Bearcat in double figures with 13 points.

Binghamton held a 34-29 advantage on the boards, out-rebounding the Retrievers 23-9 in the second half. The Bearcats pulled down eight offensive rebounds in the second period alone, leading to 10 second-chance points.

The Retrievers have a week off before returning to action on Sunday, Feb. 17, when they host America East rival Boston University at 4 p.m. at the RAC Arena.