VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball looks to regain its form when the Bearcats (10-12, 1-6 America East) host New Hampshire (8-13, 4-3 AE) at 4 pm. Saturday at the Events Center. The Bearcats are 6-3 at home this season and will try to snap a three-game losing streak as the first half of the league schedule wraps up.

It will be an action-packed day at the Events Center. The Men's Basketball Alumni Game will kick off the events at 1 p.m. Then in a pregame ceremony, senior forward Willie Rodriguez will be honored for becoming the program's all-time scoring and rebounding leader (Div. I era). At halftime, the conference champion women's soccer team will be recognized. In addition, the game is the annual Coaches vs. Cancer game to bring awareness and raise funds for local programs and services. 

QUICK HITS
•    This is Binghamton's 71st season of basketball, 17th at the Division I level
•    BU went 9-6 in non-conference play, tying the record for wins (9) set last year
•    BU was picked to finish T-6th (of 9) in the Preseason Coaches' Poll 
•    Binghamton is in the midst of three straight games against the top three teams in the standings
•    BU hits the halfway point in the AE schedule and and in a scheduling quirk, plays its second game against UNH before it plays league-leading Vermont for the first time

Last time out
•    BU dug itself an 18-point halftime deficit and couldn't draw closer than five in a 69-57 loss to the Retrievers Wednesday in Baltimore
•    BU led for more first-half minutes than UMBC but fell victim to a 24-3 half-ending run that put them behind 36-18 at break (fewest BU pts. in half this season)
•    Junior guard Everson Davis scored 11 of his team-high 14 pts. in the second half when BU used a 23-8 run to pull within striking range
•    Tyler Stewart (13 pts.) and Fard Muhammad (11 pts. in second half)
•    Senior forward Willie Rodriguez grabbed 11 rebounds to become the career rebounds leader (Div. I era) with 603. He surpassed Nick Billings (598, 2001-05)    
   
70 is magic number on scoreboard
Binghamton is 9-3 when scoring 70 or more points and is 10-3 when holding opponents to less than 70. The Bearcats are 0-9 once an opponent reaches 70.

Rebounding is telling statistic
Binghamton is 9-2 when outrebounding opponents and 1-10 when outrebounded.

About UNH
•    Have won four of last six but are coming off 69-68 loss at Maine on Wed.
•    Three AE losses have come by combined 16 pts
•    Started week ranked No. 7 in nation in rebound margin and No. 9 in FT%
•    Boast 2x first team all-conference pick Tanner Leissner (1,784 career pts.) and AE leading rebounder Iba Camara (10.8/game)
•    Leissner averages 19.3 points (3rd in AE) and 8.4 rebounds (3rd)
•    Return nine letterwinners from a 20-12 team of a year ago (10-6 AE, T-3rd)
•    Picked to finish fifth in AE Preseason Coaches' Poll — one spot ahead of BU 
 
All-time series vs. UNH
Thanks to eight straight wins in the series, UNH has pulled ahead all-time, 18-17. Two and a half weeks ago up in Durham, senior forward Willie Rodriguez scored a season-high 23 points and BU held the Wildcats to five second field goals but UNH made 22-of-25 free throws and held off the Bearcats 71-67. New Hampshire used a plus 20 advantage on the glass and 15-of-18 second-half foul shooting to clinch their eighth straight win head-to-head. The Wildcats have swept the season series three straight years and also have a playoff win during the seven-game streak. The last BU win was a 72-71 overtime win in Durham on Feb. 12, 2014. The Bearcats are 7-9 at home against UNH. Each of the last five games between the two teams has been decided by eight or fewer points.   

Rodriguez hauls in 11 boards at UMBC, sets career record
Senior forward Willie Rodriguez already is the program's all-time scoring leader (Div. I era) with 1,329 points. He currently ranks seventh all-time in BU's 71 years of basketball. But Wednesday at UMBC he grabbed 11 rebounds to also became the all-time rebounds leader (Div. I era). He currently has 603 (8th all-time) after passing seven-footer Nick Billings (2001-05), who graduated with 598. Rodriguez ranks fifth in career scoring and rebounding among current America East players. 

Davis heating up on offense
Junior guard Everson Davis has reached double digit points in three straight games and is averaging 13.7 points in that stretch. He also is averaging 8.3 boards in the last three games. At UMBC, he logged a season-high 37 minutes and led the team in scoring (14 pts.) for the first time this season. He also added four assists (for the second straight game), nine boards and two steals.

Ty Stew hits personal highs at UMBC
Redshirt freshman forward Tyler Stewart notched several season-highs in the game at UMBC. He scored a season-high 13 points (season-high 6 FG) and logged a season-high 25 minutes. Stewart also handed out three assists and produced a steal for the third straight game.  

Bruce sets school record with 19 rebounds against UMass Lowell
Junior center Thomas Bruce etched his name into the BU record books (Div. I era) with a 19-rebound performance Sunday against UMass Lowell. Bruce had five offensive boards and 14 defensive to break the old mark of 18, set by Jordan Reed vs. St. Peter's on Nov. 18, 2012. Thirteen of those rebounds came in the second half against UMass Lowell and the 19 total boards are the most of any America East player this season. Bruce's previous high was 16 rebounds, set against Hartford last winter. He also added 13 points to register his sixth double-double of the season.  

Show pumps in 26 points against UMass Lowell
The last time on his home floor, junior guard J.C. Show hit 6-of-12 three-pointers en route to a game-high 26 points against UMass Lowell on Sunday. It marked the fourth time this season and eighth time in his Binghamton career he has gone over 20 in a game. Show leads the America East and ranks 54th in the country in made 3s (56). 

Bearcats rank among America East leaders
Led by junior center Thomas Bruce, several Bearcats are among the statistical leaders in the America East. Bruce is first in blocks (2.6) and field goal percentage (.600) and second in rebounding (8.5). Junior guard J.C. Show is second in three-pointers (2.6), eighth in steals (1.2) and 10th in scoring (14.6). Junior guard Timmy Rose is eighth in assists (3.4). As a team, BU ranks third in field goal percentage (.464) and fourth in both three-point percentage (.360) and scoring defense (70.6). 

Bruce asserting himself at both ends of floor
Junior center Thomas Bruce ranks in the nation's top-75 in two categories: blocks (19th, 2.6/game) and rebounds (71st, 8.5/game). During the team's seven-game win streak, Bruce averaged 13.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and shot 64% from the field.   

Up Next
Binghamton stays at home to face unbeaten Vermont (17-5, 7-0 AE) on Wednesday.