VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball (8-5) returns to the Events Center for the first of two straight home games to close out the 2017 calendar year when the Bearcats host LIU Brooklyn (4-8) Friday night. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Dr. Bai Lee Court, where BU is unbeaten this season (4-0). 

In a pregame ceremony, head coach Tommy Dempsey will be presented with a game ball from his 250th collegiate win (over Loyola on Dec. 9). Dempsey is one of just two Division I coaches 43 years old or younger who have accumulated 250 college wins.  

Last time out
•    Kept within striking range of Big Ten member Penn State until the final three minutes before falling 80-65 on Tuesday
•    Trailed by three at half but Nittany Lions shot 65% in second half
•    Loss snapped a seven-game win streak - longest in nine years
•    Junior guard J.C. Show scored 13 points with five assists in 38 minutes
•    Junior center Thomas Bruce just missed a double-double (10 pts., 9 rebs.)
•    Freshman wing Tyler Stewart tied season high with 12 points in 16 minutes 
   
A win over LIU Brooklyn would ...
•    Keep the Bearcats undefeated at home in 2017-18 (5-0)
•    Tie the program record for non-conference wins set last year (9)
•    Make BU 2-0 against teams from the Northeast Conference this season

About LIU Brooklyn
•    Picked to finish sixth (of 10) in NEC Preseason Poll
•    Graduated two all-conference players, including NEC Player of Year, from a 20-12 team of a year ago (13-5 NEC, No. 2 seed, upset in NEC qtrs.)
•    Rebuilding under first-year head coach Derek Kellogg
•    Three of their four wins have come against fellow America East teams Hartford (2x) and Stony Brook
•    Are 0-5 on road this season
•    Joel Hernandez (18.9 ppg.) and Raiquan Clark (18.4 ppg.) rank third and fourth, respectively, in the NEC for scoring
•    Blackbirds launch an average of 25 three-pointers and make 8 per game

All-time series vs. LIU Brooklyn
Binghamton leads the all-time series 3-1. The Bearcats are 2-0 at home against the Blackbirds. The teams haven't played in 11 years but in the last matchup, BU posted a 91-80 win at the Events Center on Dec. 15, 2006. Binghamton is 17-14 overall against teams from the Northeast Conference, including a 51-48 win over Sacred Heart five days ago.  

Penn State first opponent to shoot over 50% against Bearcats
Binghamton finally allowed a foe to shoot over 50 percent when the Nittany Lions shot 57 percent in a winning effort. Penn State entered the game 37th in the Kenpom ratings and No. 106 in the RPI. 

70 is magic number on the scoreboard
Binghamton is 7-1 when scoring 70 or more points and is 8-2 when holding opponents to less than 70. The Bearcats are 0-3 when an opponent reaches 70.

Coach Dempsey reaches 250 college win plateau
Sixth-year head coach Tommy Dempsey notched his 250th career college victory with the win at Loyola. Dempsey compiled 88 combined wins at Keystone and Lackawanna Colleges, 119 wins at Rider University and hit the mark with his 43rd win at Binghamton.   

Win streak was historic
The team's seven-game win streak, snapped Tuesday at Penn State, is the longest since the program's 2008-09 championship season, when the team had a win streak of 11 leading into the NCAA tournament game against No. 2 Duke. No BU team, however, has won seven consecutive non-conference games since the 1992-93 season (Div. III). The streak ranked ninth-longest in the nation. 

Rebounding is telling statistic
Binghamton is 7-0 when outrebounding opponents and 1-5 when outrebounded.

Show picking up steam
Junior guard J.C. Show averaged 17.4 points on 51% shooting during BU's seven-game win streak. He has scored in double digits in 12 of 13 games this season.