Bearcats host St. Bonaventure Saturday

BU and Bonnies tip at 2 p.m. at Events Center

Contact: John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)

VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball begins its final stretch of non-conference play when BU hosts St. Bonaventure Saturday afternoon. The Bearcats (1-11) and Atlantic-10 member Bonnies (6-2) tip at 2 p.m. at the Events Center. Binghamton has three games remaining before starting America East play on January 2.

The Bearcats played a strong second half at BC last Sunday, matching the ACC-member Eagles point for point over the final 20 minutes. Freshman wing Justin McFadden scored a game-high 18 points and narrowly missed a double-double with nine rebounds. He also added two blocks and a steal in 37 minutes. Freshman guard Romello Walker added nine points.

Binghamton held BC's bench (8 players) to just two points in the game and forced 17 turnovers.

Freshman forward Bobby Ahearn and first-year center Dusan Perovic spearheaded the defense. Ahearn played 21 hard minutes in the post against BC's big bodies and collected four points, two rebounds and two steals. Perovic, meanwhile, absorbed four charges and chipped in five points and four rebounds.

Perovic (12.2 ppg.) leads the Bearcats in scoring and is shooting 45 percent from the floor and 49 percent from three-point range. Four of the team's top six scorers are freshmen. First-year forward Willie Rodriguez is averaging 9.1 points and a team-best 4.9 rebounds.

With a top-120 RPI, St. Bonaventure brings a stronger early-season resume than other more noted BU opponents, such as Notre Dame and Boston College. The Bonnies pushed Pitt to the final buzzer in a 58-54 loss last Saturday and only relented after six Pitt free throw makes in the closing 27 seconds. Before that, Bona won five in a row, including wins over Western New York rivals Canisius, Niagara and Buffalo and a road win at Ohio. The team has five players scoring in double figures, led by junior guard Marcus Posley (15.9 ppg.). Junior Dion Wright is averaging 12.8 points and 8.3 boards. Seven-foot senior center Youssou Ndoye is averaging a double-double with 10.7 points and a team-best 11.0 rebounds.

St. Bona returns two starters and seven lettermen from an 18-win team that reached the semifinals of the Atlantic-10 for the second time in the last three seasons. The program went to the NCAA tournament in 2012.

The Bonnies lead the all-time series 3-1. The teams split two games in the 2007-08 season, with BU earning its only win in a 64-59 Events Center triumph. They played in 2009-10 and 2010-11 with St. Bonaventure winning handily each time (by 26 and 25 points).

Binghamton next hits the road for Maryland and a Monday night encounter with Mt. St. Mary's. Then BU wraps up its non-conference slate with a home game against fellow SUNY Center Buffalo on Dec. 30.

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Players Mentioned

#15 Bobby Ahearn: F; 6' 6"; Freshman

#25 Justin McFadden: G/F; 6' 5"; Freshman

#41 Dusan Perovic: F/C; 6' 9"; Freshman

#42 Willie Rodriguez: G/F; 6' 6"; Freshman

#11 Romello Walker: G; 6' 6"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#15 Bobby Ahearn
: 6' 6"; Freshman
: F

#25 Justin McFadden
: 6' 5"; Freshman
: G/F

#41 Dusan Perovic
: 6' 9"; Freshman
: F/C

#42 Willie Rodriguez
: 6' 6"; Freshman
: G/F

#11 Romello Walker
: 6' 6"; Freshman
: G

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned

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