Contact:
John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)
Game NotesVESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball (1-4) will look to reverse its fortunes against in-state rival Colgate (2-3) when the teams square off at 7 p.m. tonight at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center. The visiting Raiders have won four straight in the series and 10 of 12 all-time against the Bearcats.
Tuesday's game will be the last of two straight at home before BU plays three straight on the road, highlighted by a big-time tilt at undefeated and No. 3 Michigan State on Saturday. That game will be televised on ESPNU (noon).
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Quick Hits
- The Bearcats play the back-half of two straight home games before a tough three-game road trip that includes No. 3 Michigan State and two teams in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll (No. 14 Oakland and RV Buffalo).
- Sophomore forward
Willie Rodriguez earned America East Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career after averaging 26.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in two games last week.
- Rodriguez leads BU in scoring (18.4 ppg.) and ranks xth in the America East. He also ranks xth in rebounding (7.4 rpg.)
- Binghamton and Colgate will square off for the sixth consecutive season and 13th time overall.
- One-sixth of the way through the season, BU is scoring almost six points more per game (63.6) than last season but is giving up 6.4 more (72.8).
- The Bearcats have shot 37% in three of their five games and have exceeded that mark just once (53% in win over CCSU).
Last Time Out
- Boston University built a 12-point halftime lead and made 6-of-8 free throws in the final 1:21 to hold off BU 75-65 on Saturday
- Sophomore forward
Willie Rodriguez scored 26 points and produced his fourth career double-double with 10 rebounds
- Four days after hitting for a career-high 27 points, Rodriguez made 10-of-16 from the field and 9-of-10 from the line
- Junior guard
Marlon Beck tallied 17 points (5-of-10 3s), four assists and two steals in 38 minutes Â
- Freshman guard
Everson Davis added 11 points - his third double-digit showing in five collegiate games
- Aside from Rodriguez and Beck, BU's other players shot just 23 percent (8-for-34) and BU made only 7-of-32 from beyond the arc
About Colgate- The Raiders (2-3) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 71-63 win at America East member UMBC on Saturday.
- This is the third of four games Colgate will play against America East teams. The Raiders lost at Albany 88-67 on Nov. 19.
- Colgate opened its season with a bang, knocking off Atlantic 10 member George Mason 66-53 on the road.Â
- The Raiders return one starter and six lettermen from a 16-17 team that finished second in the Patriot League (12-6), one game out of first.
- Sophomore forward Jordan Swapshire leads three players in double figures with a 12.2 scoring average. He is shooting 53% from the field.
- Colgate is scoring 72.0 points per game on 45% shooting.
All-Time Series vs. Colgate
- Colgate leads the all-time series, which dates back to 1977, 10-2.
- The Raiders have won four straight, including the last three by an average margin of nearly 26 points.
- Last year in Hamilton, Colgate built a 10-point halftime lead and then shot 61% in the second half to pull away. The Bearcats committed 18 turnovers and shot just 35%.
- Binghamton is 0-5 at home in the series. The last home game produced a 74-47 thrashing in favor of Colgate in 2012.
Next Up
- The biggest test of the season awaits in East Lansing as BU faces current unbeaten and No. 3 Michigan State on Saturday. The game will be televised at noon on ESPNU - the first time BU will ever appear on ESPN's college-based network.
- The game is the first of two on a four-day swing through Michigan, which also includes a Monday night test at Oakland University.Â
- The Bearcats play three straight on the road and won't be back home for two weeks, when they host St. Francis (Pa.) on Dec. 15.Â
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