Binghamton Game Notes
UMBC Game Notes

VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball (4-15, 1-5 AE) looks for its second win in a row and fourth straight head-to-head against UMBC (5-16, 1-5 AE) when the 2009 America East finalists meet on Wednesday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center. A BU win would move the Bearcats into the No. 7 seed position in the standings.  

COACHES VS. CANCER
•    Head coach Tommy Dempsey has pledged five dollars for every point BU scores against the Retrievers.  In addition, the coaching staff will wear attire in support of the Coaches vs. Cancer program.
•    Bearcats Coaches vs. Cancer T-Shirts, which commemorates the program's role in the Coaches vs. Cancer Program, will be given away prior to the game (while supplies last). The American Cancer Society will be setting up tables during the game with information and activities to raise awareness in the fight against cancer.

QUICK HITS
•    Junior guard Marlon Beck has regained his stroke. After a drought that produced five three-pointers in six games, Beck has knocked in 13 treys in his last four games. He has 137 career threes, which ranks fifth in program history (D-I).
•    Sophomore forward Willie Rodriguez is fifth in the AE in scoring (14.2 ppg.), eighth in steals (1.3 spg.) and ninth in rebounding (6.3 rpg.).
•    Freshman center Thomas Bruce is averaging 6.0 rebounds in league play.  
•    Binghamton's current rotation features no seniors and just two juniors. The 11 underclassmen gives BU the eighth-highest underclassmen percentage in the country (73.3%).

LAST TIME OUT
•    On Sunday in Lowell, BU opened the second half with a decisive 19-4 run and held off the host River Hawks 64-57.
•    Sophomore forward Willie Rodriguez scored 14 of his game-high 17 points in the second half.
•    Junior guard Marlon Beck hit three three-pointers en route to 17 points. He hit 6-of-8 free throws, including four in the final 1:02 to seal it.
•    Freshman center Thomas Bruce just missed a double-double with 10 points and nine boards.
•    Freshman reserve Tim Rose sparked the second-half run with two steals and an assist. Rose also chipped in five second-half points.
•    Sophomore forward Justin McFadden keyed an effective pressure defense (16 steals) with a career-high five steals. Freshman guard Everson Davis added four.

ABOUT UMBC
•    The Retrievers score at a high rate (72.6 ppg.) but give up nearly 80 points per game (79.5) — third-most in the conference.
•    In league play, UMBC defeated Maine at home (89-76), pushed Lowell to overtime in a 95-89 loss and in its last outing, played Vermont tight in a 79-72 loss in Burlington on Sunday.
•    UMBC beat Mt. St. Mary's by 12 in December, two weeks before the Bearcats beat them by nine.
•    UMBC returned four starters and six letterwinners from a 4-26 team that finished eighth in the America East (2-14).
•    UMBC was picked to finish seventh in the Coaches' Preseason Poll — two spots behind Binghamton.
•    2013-14 AE Rookie of the Year Rodney Elliott, who missed all last season with an injury, leads the team in points (13.9) and assists (3.8).
•    Sophomore guard Jairus Lyles pumped in 32 points at Vermont.           
 
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. UMBC
•    Thanks to three straight wins, Binghamton holds a 15-12 all-time lead in the series. BU has won 10 of the last 16 matchups. 
•    Fourteen of the 27 games have been decided by six or fewer points.
•    The Bearcats are 9-4 at home in the series.
•    Last year BU won 68-56 in Baltimore and then one month later, completed the season sweep with a 76-69 win at the Events Center.

NEXT UP
•    Binghamton makes the unenviable nine-hour drive to Bangor, Maine for a Saturday afternoon encounter with the Black Bears. The all-time series is tied 15-15.