VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball opens the curtain on its 2017-18 season Friday night when the Bearcats host Morgan State. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center.

Sixth-year head coach Tommy Dempsey returns all five starters and 11 upperclassmen from a team that roared out of the gate last year with a school-record nine non-conference wins. Leading the way are senior Willie Rodriguez (12.0 ppg., 5.5 rpg.), junior guard J.C. Show (13.3 ppg.), senior forward Bobby Ahearn (9.7 ppg., team MVP) and junior center Thomas Bruce (7.0 ppg., America East All-Defensive Team). 

After Friday's opener, BU plays at Cornell Monday and then departs Wednesday on a nine-day, four-game trip that will take them to Virginia (George Mason), Indiana (Evansville) and finally in Cancun, Mexico for two games in the Cancun Challenge.   

Morgan State is the preseason favorite to win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). The Bears received 13 first place votes to sit atop the 13-team league. Morgan State also boast the pick for Player of the Year in 6-foot-8 senior forward Phillip Carr. Joining Carr on the preseason all-conference first team was classmate Tiwian Kendley. The Bears were the lone team to garner two players on the preseason first team. 

Last season, Morgan State went 14-16 and earned the No. 3 seed for the MEAC tournament after going 11-5 in league play. But the team's title hopes were dashed with an upset loss to 11th-seeded Howard in the tournament quarterfinals. Kendley led the team with a 21.0 scoring average. Carr averaged 16.6 points and 9.6 rebounds. Both Carr (83%) and Kendley (79%) are excellent free throw shooters. Twelfth-year Head coach Todd Bozeman returns four starters from that squad. 

Located in Baltimore, Morgan State is now home to former Bearcats senior associate director of athletics Ed Scott, who is the school's director of athletics. Former seven-year member of Binghamton's athletics department, Terrence Lollie, is on Scott's staff as an assistant director of athletics for student services.