VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball is back to campus after a short holiday break and BU plays its final game of the calendar year when the Bearcats host Mount St. Mary's at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center. 

Binghamton (2-9) hopes the pattern continues as it faces The Mount (3-9) for the fourth straight season. The teams have alternated wins throughout their series with the Bearcats up next in the sequence.

"Everyone got a chance to get away for a few days," head coach Tommy Dempsey said of the holiday break. "The guys are refocused and our energy level is very good. Nobody's season is defined by what happens in November and December. We're focused on looking forward and creating a mindset with these last two games leading into the conference opener.

"They (The Mount) press for 40 minutes ... it will give us an opportunity to work on our press offense," Dempsey said about the matchup with the Mountaineers. "The games in the series have been great.They thrive off their pressure defense and they're one of the best teams in the country in forcing turnovers."

QUICK HITS
•    After winning two of three games, BU has suffered five straight losses — three of which came during a tough stretch against No. 1 Michigan State, Horizon League power Oakland and 2015 NCAA tournament team Buffalo.
•    Binghamton has played a challenging non-conference slate with five opponents among the RPI top 100. 
•    The Bearcats have been hit hard by injuries. Junior guard Yosef Yacob (23 min. game last year) was lost for the year in preseason. Starting sophomore guard Romello Walker (8.6 ppg. last year) is now lost for the season after playing just seven games. Centers Thomas Bruce (3 games) and Bobby Ahearn (one game) have been out with injuries. The team's lone senior, guard Karon Waller (67 career games) hasn't played this season due to injury and sophomore center Dusan Perovic is still rounding into form after an ACL injury last January.  
•    Binghamton's current 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.
•    Binghamton has two more games before America East play begins on Jan. 6.

LAST TIME OUT
•    Last Tuesday, sophomore forward Willie Rodguez and freshman guard Everson Davis tallied 11 points apiece but BU converted just 26 percent from the field and lost to visiting FIU 66-49.
•    BU trailed by only seven at the break but the Conference USA member Panthers used an 18-5 early second-half run to pull away.
•    BU hit just 4-of-28 from three-point range and were minus-19 on the glass.
•    The Bearcats again had a thin lineup with sophomore Romello Walker and freshman center Thomas Bruce out with injuries.

ABOUT MOUNT ST. MARY'S
•    The Mount's season has been one of streaks. They lost six in a row to start, then won three and now have lost three.
•    Among the team's nine defeats are losses to No. 3 Maryland (80-56), No. 10 Gonzaga (101-56), Big Ten member Ohio State (76-54) and Pac 12 Washington (100-67).
•    Mount St. Mary's was picked to win the 10-team NEC in the Preseason Coaches Poll, earning six of the 10 first-place votes.
•    They went 15-15 last season and two years ago, advanced to the NCAA tournament with a 16-win season.
•    All-NEC junior guard BK Ashe (15.6 ppg.) shoots 42% from floor.
•    Sophomore guard Junior Robinson (10.0 ppg.) is the second-shortest player in the country (NCAA Division I).
•    The Mount's trademark "Mayhem" style features a press (18 opponent turnovers per game) and three-point shooting (24 3-attempts per game).   
 
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. MOUNT ST. MARY'S/NEC
•    Mount St. Mary's leads the series 3-2.
•    The teams have alternated wins in the five games with the Mount taking last year's contest 69-68. In that game, the hosts were afforded the deciding free throws with 2.9 seconds left on a foul at the top of the key.
•    Two of the last three games have been decided by just one point (both Mount St. Mary's wins)
•    The teams played in 2005 and 2006 and resumed the series in 2012. This will be the fourth straight season they have squared off.
•    Binghamton is 13-15 all-time against the NEC (1-1 this season). 

BACKCOURT DUO OF BECK, DAVIS CATCHING FIRE
•    The guard tandem of freshman Everson Davis (10.8 ppg.) and junior Marlon Beck (10.5 ppg.) has been sharp of late.
•    Beck pumped in a season-high 24 points at Buffalo — the fourth time in his career he has surpassed 20. He is shooting a team-best 41% from three-point range and is logging a team-high 32 minutes per game.
•    Davis earned his first America East Rookie of the Week honors last week and has reached double figures eight times in 11 collegiate games. His AE selection represents the18th weekly rookie honor (9 different players) received during Coach Dempsey's four-year tenure at Binghamton.

NEXT UP
•    Binghamton concludes its non-conference schedule with an away game at Ivy League member Penn Jan. 2 in Philadelphia.