VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball has plenty to play for in its regular finale on Saturday when the Bearcats (7-21, 4-11 America East) host Maine (8-20, 4-11 AE) at 2 p.m. at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center. Binghamton can earn its highest tournament seed since 2009 with a win and a Hartford loss to Albany. The Bearcats can finish anywhere from fifth to eighth (playoff seed), depending on results of the four league games on Saturday.

QUICK HITS
•    Sophomore forward Willie Rodriguez is fourth in the AE in scoring (14.7 ppg.) and seventh in rebounding (6.6 rpg.). He has scored in double figures seven straight games and 13 of his last 14.
•    Junior guard Marlon Beck (10.0 ppg.) ranks third in the AE in threes/game (2.5) and is also third on BU's all-time three-pointers list (160), three behind Jimmy Gray. He has made five or more three-pointers seven times this season.
•    Freshman center Thomas Bruce is averaging 8.5 points (on 61% FG) and 5.1 rebounds in league play. He ranks fourth in the AE in field goal percentage (AE games) and is third in total dunks (28), behind only Jameel Warney of Stony Brook (40) and Devine Eke of Maine (37). In his last five games, Bruce is averaging 12.2 points on 71% shooting (22-of-31).    
•    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 Wednesday, BU overcame a seven-point deficit in the final 1:01 of regulation but lost in overtime at UMBC 80-79.
•    Freshman center Thomas Bruce tallied a season-high 18 points (7-of-9 FG) with eight rebounds and two blocks.
•    Sophomore center Bobby Ahearn recorded his first collegiate double-double with a career-high 17 points (8-of-11 FG) and 10 rebounds.
•    Junior guard Marlon Beck hit five three-pointers and forced overtime with a 22-foot jumper with 1.8 seconds left in regulation.
•    Sophomore forward Willie Rodriguez went 8-of-8 from the free throw line en route to his 24th double-figure output of the season (13 pts.)

ABOUT MAINE
•    Maine started conference play 4-4 but has lost its last seven games.
•    On Wednesday at home, Maine surrendered 48 second-half points to Hartford and lost 82-74. Freshman forward Issac Vann netted 23 points.
•    The team's high-octane offense ranks third in the America East in scoring (76.1 ppg.) and first in steals (8.5 spg.).
•    Maine, however, is giving up 86.8 points per game — second-most among 346 Division I schools across the country.  
•    Sophomore guard Kevin Little ranks sixth in the AE in scoring (14.7 ppg.) but was lost for the season with an ankle injury five games ago.
•    The Black Bears were picked to finish last in the Preseason Poll.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. MAINE
•    With the win last month in Bangor, Maine took a 16-15 lead in the series.
•    The home team has won each of the last five games and four of those wins came by double digits.
•    Binghamton is 10-5 at home in the series and has won each of the last two meetings in Vestal by 15 or more points.
•    On January 30 in Bangor, host Maine ended the game with a 20-6 run to push past Binghamton 74-63. Freshmen Thomas Bruce (16 pts.) and Timmy Rose (14 pts.) each tallied his season-high in points and sophomore center Bobby Ahearn added 11 points.

NEXT UP
•    The Bearcats will hit the road for a tournament quarterfinal game on Wednesday, either at New Hampshire, Vermont, Albany or Stony Brook.