VESTAL, N.Y. - After a strong non-conference performance that resulted in a program-best nine wins, Binghamton men's basketball (9-6) opens its 16-game America East slate with a home tilt against Maine (3-13, 0-1 AE) on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center and the game will be broadcast on ESPN3. 

Quick Hits
•    This is Binghamton's 71st season of basketball, 17th at the Division I level
•    This is the America East opener for the Bearcats (5-11 all-time in AE openers)
•    This is just the fifth AE home opener in BU's 17 years (0-4 previous, 5-7 away)
•    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 
•    Today begins a busy four-games-in-10-days stretch (2 home, 3 away)
•    January is the team's busiest month with nine games
•    Bearcats welcome back starting center Thomas Bruce (13.4 ppg., 9.3 rpg., 3.1 bpg.), who missed the last two games with a sprained ankle 

Last time out
•    BU set Division I records for points, field goals (43) and field goal percentage (.662) in a 113-65 win over Division III Elmira on Dec. 30
•    BU led by 16 at half and then hit 21-of-28 (75%) in a sizzling 60-pt. second half
•    Senior forward Willie Rodriguez scored a game-high 19 points (9-of-11) in just 13 minutes and classmate Bobby Ahearn added 16 points and 7 rebounds
•    Freshman wing Albert Odero scored 13 points (5-of-6 FG) with three assists and two steals (18 min.) in his second collegiate game
•    All 12 healthy players scored 3 or more points and seven had 8 or more points  
   
Binghamton in the America East
•    The Bearcats are 104-156 (40%) in 16 years of America East play
•    BU is 63-67 (48%) at home and 41-89 (32%) on road vs. America East foes
•    BU won AE regular season and tournament titles in 2009 but hasn't finished higher than fifth in the eight years since

Coach Tommy Dempsey debuts podcast
•    In January head coach Tommy Dempsey started a podcast titled "Binghamton Basketball and Beyond"
•    Fans can listen to the episodes on iTunes or at bubearcats.com (archived) 

Binghamton in America East openers
•    The Bearcats are 5-11 all-time in AE openers and have lost their last six
•    In 16 years, BU has only been scheduled for a home opener four times and is 0-4 in those games (5-7 in road openers)
•    This is BU's fourth AE opener against Maine - the most common opening opponent (Vermont 3x)
•    BU is 1-2 vs. Maine in AE openers, most recently losing to start 2013-14 play 

About Maine
•    Black Bears have tried to reload with five incoming transfers following a 7-25 season last winter (3-13 AE)
•    After non-conference play Maine sat at 3-12 with just one win over a Division I member (Quinnipiac)
•    Opened AE play with a 71-70 loss at Stony Brook on Wednesday
•    In that game Maine rallied from 20 points down in second half and used a 4-point play to take the lead in the final minute before SBU won it with a 3-pointer in the closing seconds
•    Team ranks last in AE in scoring (66.0 ppg.) but is second in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 43.4% shooting (32.2% 3-pt.)
•    Redshirt junior guard Aaron Calixte leads team and ranks 10th in AE in scoring (15.2 ppg.) and has made 52-of-57 FT (91%)
•    Sophomore forward Andrew Fleming was an AE All-Rookie pick last season and is averaging a team-high 5.3 rebounds and 8.4 points
•    Picked to finish last in AE Preseason Coaches' Poll 

All-time series vs. Maine
The teams are even, 17-17, in the all-time series. They have split the season series in each of the last five years. Against the norm, however, last year each team won on the road. Binghamton is 12-5 against the Black Bears in Vestal. In the regular season finale last Feb. 25, Maine rallied from 10 points down and shot 54% in the second half to win 72-71, at the Events Center. Willie Rodriguez had 26 pts. and 9 rebs. Binghamton's last win over an America East team came last Jan. 29 in Bangor (65-54). The victory over the Black Bears was followed by a current stretch of nine straight losses (8 in regular season) to conference opponents. 

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 (3.1) and second in field goal percentage (.590) and rebounding (9.3). Junior guard J.C. Show is fifth in three-pointers (2.6), eighth in minutes played (33.7) and 11th in scoring (14.9). Junior guard Timmy Rose is eighth in assists (3.7) and sophomore guard Fard Muhammad is third in three-point percentage (.457). As a team, BU ranks first in field goal percentage (.486), second in scoring defense (67.9 ppg.) and third in field goal percentage defense (.439). 

Records fall in big win over Elmira
Binghamton established new marks in its 113-65 win over Elmira on Dec. 30. The team set new records (Division I era) for points, field goals (43) and field goal percentage (.662). Also the team's 75% shooting in the second half was a new record.  

70 is magic number on scoreboard
Binghamton is 8-1 when scoring 70 or more points and is 9-2 when holding opponents to less than 70. The Bearcats are 0-4 when an opponent reaches 70.

Rebounding is telling statistic
Binghamton is 8-0 when outrebounding opponents and 1-6 when outrebounded.