Game Notes
Watch on ESPN3

Contact: John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)

VESTAL, N.Y. - In the 95th meeting between the two SUNY programs and longtime rivals, Binghamton (2-16, 1-2 AE) plays at Albany (8-7, 3-0 AE) Wednesday night at SEFCU Arena. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 — the fifth time this season BU will appear on the ESPN platform.    

The Bearcats snapped a 14-game losing streak on Saturday with a 65-46 home win over Maine. The team's four freshmen starters combined for 57 points and 31 rebounds and BU held Maine to just 16 second-half points.     

Freshman guard Romello Walker, the reigning America East Rookie of the Week, is averaging 16.3 ppg. in his last three games (all AE) and is shooting 55% during that span. Binghamton has produced three different conference Rookies of the Week with center Dusan Perovic earning the first honor on Dec. 8, Willie Rodriguez snaring the award on Dec. 29 and Romello Walker earning the honor this week. The Bearcats are nearing last year's rare feat of having four different players earn top rookie weekly honors.

Freshman forward Willie Rodriguez averaged 14.5 points and 5.5 rebounds last week. He has reached double figures four of his last five games, including a game-high 19 points in the win over Maine.

QUICK HITS
• Binghamton has been hit by two key injuries to its frontcourt. Six-foot-9 sophomore Nick Madray went down with an ankle injury after scoring 20 points vs. St. Bonaventure on Dec. 20. He has missed the last five games. Six-foot-9 center and leading scorer Dusan Perovic suffered an ACL injury at practice on Jan. 5 and will be lost for the remainder of the season. Perovic was the team's leading scorer (11.5 ppg.) and its top three-point shooter (45%).

• Binghamton has statistically the youngest team in the entire country (StatSheet.com). It's 14 players have a combined 10 years of collegiate experience. There are only two upperclassmen on the roster (1 senior, 1 junior).

• Four of the team's top-5 scorers are freshmen and the starting lineup features four freshmen and a sophomore.

LAST TIME OUT
Binghamton men's basketball used a stifling defense to pull away from visiting Maine 65-46 Saturday afternoon at the Events Center. The Bearcats limited the Black Bears to 16 second-half points and earned the team's first conference win going away.

Down 30-29 at intermission, BU forced nine second-half turnovers and held Maine to just six field goals in the final period. Counting the tail end of the first half, BU held the Black Bears to 20 points over the game's final 26:32.

Freshman forward Willie Rodriguez scored a game-high 19 points with six rebounds and four steals. Classmates Romello Walker (18 pts., 8 rebs.) and Justin McFadden (16 pts., 5 assists) combined for 34 points and freshman forward Bobby Ahearn added a season-high 12 rebounds.

SCOUTING ALBANY
The Great Danes have won six of their last seven games, including three straight to start league play. In their last outing, visiting Albany put four in double figures and handled UMass Lowell 64-51. The team also defeated Maine (80-56) and New Hampshire (64-62).

Winners of the last two America East titles, the Great Danes were picked to finish third in the Coaches' Preseason Poll. Just two starters and four letterwinners return from last year's 19-win championship squad, but the two are all-conference standouts Peter Hooley (14.4 ppg.) and Sam Rowley (12.7 ppg.).
   
ALL-TIME SERIES
The Great Danes own a commanding 63-31 lead in the all-time series, which dates back to 1948. Since the two schools elevated to Division I in the America East Conference, however, Albany's margin is a narrow 14-13 — thanks primarily to a current run of eight straight wins. The Great Danes have swept the season series in each of the last four years. Last season featured two close games — a 66-60 Albany win at SEFCU followed by a 57-48 Danes win in Vestal on Feb. 19.