Uncasville, CT (SportsNetwork.com) - Brandon Venturini tallied a game-high 26 points as the Navy Midshipmen held off the Binghamton Bearcats, 70-68, as part of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Venturini shot 9-of-13 from the field and grabbed eight rebounds for the Midshipmen (1-4), who won their first game of the season. Tilman Dunbar recorded 11 points and six assists.

Willie Rodriguez netted 15 points on 7-of-14 from the floor for the Bearcats (1-4), who have lost back-to-back games. Yosef Yacob (12 points), Dusan Perovic (12) and Nick Madray (10) also reached double figures.

The Midshipmen shot 48.1 percent from the field in the opening half, slightly better than the Bearcats' 42.9 percent mark, allowing the Academy to take a slim 32-31 lead at the break.

In the second half the two sides shot an identical 48.1 percent from the floor, in a tightly contested matchup. Binghamton led by its largest margin, 11 points, several minutes into the half.

With 3:15 remaining, Venturini sank a 3-pointer to put Navy up 65-62. With 25 seconds left, Romello Walker hit a perimeter shot to pull the Bearcats to within a point, but the squad was unable to get another shot to fall.