VESTAL, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Binghamton Bearcats used a dominant defensive performance and a balanced scoring attack to overwhelm the Colgate Raiders 82-54 in a nonconference women’s basketball game Saturday at the Events Center.

Binghamton improved to 7-4 on the season, while Colgate fell to 4-7.

The game was decided by a suffocating first-half effort from the Bearcats, who built a commanding lead by capitalizing on a rash of Colgate mistakes. The Raiders committed 19 turnovers in the game, with Binghamton converting those into 21 points. The Bearcats also held Colgate to just 32.3% shooting from the field and a frigid 19.2% from three-point range.

The most important stretch of the game came early, as Binghamton established control with a 17-2 run that spanned the first and second quarters. After a slow start for both teams, the Bearcats led just 10-8 late in the first period. They then held Colgate without a field goal for a span of nearly seven minutes, extending their lead to 27-10 early in the second quarter. The run was fueled by defensive pressure, with Binghamton recording five of its 10 steals during this pivotal stretch. Colgate never recovered, trailing 35-19 at halftime and by as many as 30 points in the fourth quarter.

Kendall Bennett, a 6-foot-2 forward from Philadelphia, led Binghamton with a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds, adding a block and a steal in 25 minutes. She was instrumental in the early surge, scoring six points during the decisive run. Meghan Casey of White Plains, New York, added 13 points and four assists, while Yanniah Boyd of Frederick, Maryland, filled the stat sheet with 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. The Bearcats’ depth was on full display as Kaia Goode of Rochester, New York, and Ashley Redd of Porter Ranch, California, each contributed 12 points off the bench.

Colgate was led by Tatiana Matthews, who scored a game-high 15 points in 22 minutes. Madison Schiller added 10 points. Christina Midgette of Princeton, New Jersey, worked hard on the glass, pulling down 12 rebounds to go with eight points, but the Raiders struggled to find consistent offense against Binghamton’s defensive pressure.

Binghamton was efficient on offense, shooting 50.8% from the field and 84.2% from the free-throw line. They also shared the ball effectively, tallying 10 assists on 30 made field goals. Colgate, by contrast, managed only eight assists and was outscored 40-18 in the paint.

The Bearcats have now won three of their last four games. Colgate has lost four of its last five.

Binghamton next plays at Fairleigh Dickinson on Monday, Dec. 29. Colgate returns to action on Wednesday, Dec. 31, at home against Lafayette.