ESPN3 LinkBinghamton Game NotesContact:
John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)
VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball (2-6) renews acquaintances with fellow SUNY Center Buffalo (4-5) on Saturday when the teams meet for the third straight year. Tip is set for 2 p.m. at Alumni Arena and the game will be broadcast on ESPN3.
QUICK HITS•   The game at Buffalo wraps up a three-game road stretch before the Bearcats stay at home for three straight to close out the calendar year.
•   This will be the third straight Binghamton game to be broadcast on an ESPN platform. Binghamton will then host two more games on ESPN3 during the regular season (Jan. 6 vs. Stony Brook, Feb. 8 vs. Albany).
•   Binghamton had a rough two-game, five-day trip through the state of Michigan: a 43-point loss to now-No. 1 Michigan State and a hard-fought 11-point loss to Horizon League power Oakland gave them an 0-2 trip. The team also absorbed three injuries to regular contributors, including starters
Justin McFadden (nose) and
Thomas Bruce (concussion) and key guard
Romello Walker (shoulder). The availability of all three is uncertain for the Buffalo game.
•   Binghamton's rotation features no seniors and just two juniors. The team's underclassmen account for 84% of the minutes and 83% of the scoring. Of the team's eight players averaging double-digit minutes, seven are underclassmen.
LAST TIME OUT•   On Monday, host Oakland ended the game on a 19-6 run and won 83-72, fending off a valiant effort from a BU team that was minus three regulars in the second half.
•   Four Bearcats reached double figures, led by freshman guard
Everson Davis, who tallied a season-high 18 points with five assists.
•   Junior guard
Marlon Beck hit 5-of-10 three-pointers for 15 points and added a season-high eight assists.
•   Binghamton shot 48% in the first half but dropped down to 30% in the second.
ABOUT BUFFALO•   The Bulls are coming off back-to-back losses to top-10 ranked teams (No. 7 Duke, No. 4 Iowa State).
•   Strength of schedule this season ranks 30th in the country.
•   Return two starters and six lettermen from a 23-10 team that won the MAC title and advanced to the NCAA tournament last season.
•   All-MAC Freshman selection from last season, Lamonte Bearden (12.9 ppg.) leads the team in scoring.
•   Balanced scoring with six players averaging 9.0 points or more.
•   Team features four players 6-foot-8 or taller (BU has one healthy)
•   One of the team's notable wins was a 77-71 home win over fellow America East member Vermont.
•   Produced the MAC Player of the Year in two of the last three years.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. BUFFALO/MAC•   This is the seventh all-time meeting between the two programs and third since BU elevated to Division I.
•   Buffalo owns a 5-1 advantage in the series. Binghamton's lone win was a 54-53 home triumph in the 1980-81 season (Nov. 22, 1980).
•   In each of the last two seasons, Buffalo has posted a 25+ point win, including last season's 76-50 victory at the Events Center. In that game, the Bulls shot 50% in the first half, limited BU to eight field goals and opened up a 19-point halftime cushion.
Willie Rodriguez (14 pts.) and
Bobby Ahearn (12) paced the Bearcats, who shot just 35% for the game.
NEXT UP•   Binghamton returns home to host first-time opponent St. Francis (Pa.) on Tuesday before slowing down during finals week.
•   After playing three games in eight days, BU will play its next three games spread over 15 days.
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