Binghamton 57 – Sam Houston State 44

The key to Binghamton's first victory of the year was not a 3-point basket as the shot clock expired or a charge taken in the lane, but instead a meeting at the team hotel early Saturday morning.

Head coach Al Walker talked with Nick Billings, a 7-footer named to the All-America East Second Team for the past two seasons, and Alex Adediran and prodded his centers to improve their production, Billings said.

"We just weren't getting it done," Billings said. "He pretty much told us we needed to get on track. The team isn't going to be as successful as it can be (if we don't). I think each of us really took that to heart."

It showed later in the day.

After combining for 10 points and seven rebounds in their first two games, the big men dropped 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a 57-44 victory against Sam Houston State in the Blue and Gold Classic consolation game.

Kent State 77 – Binghamton 52

Kent State hit a tournament record 14 three-pointers to defeat Binghamton 77-52 in the first game of the 43rd Annual Blue and Gold Classic Friday. The previous record of 12 was set by Texas Southern in 1993 and tied by Marquette in 1996.

Armon Gates led the Golden Flashes with four 3-point field goals, but six of his teammates also drained a shot from behind the arc.

"We did a great job moving the basketball and I felt the threes that we took were very good threes," Kent State head coach Jim Christian said. "They were on an extra pass or they came on a post feed back-out."

The Golden Flashes' defense was just as influential on the final outcome as their accuracy from 3-point land.

Kent State held a slim five point lead at the half, but was able to pull away from Binghamton because they held the Bearcats to 19 points on 7-for-28 shooting over the final 20 minutes.