VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball (4-3) brings a four-game win streak into Sunday night's encounter with Loyola (3-4). The teams will tip at 6 p.m. at Reitz Arena in Baltimore. 

It will be the first of three straight games against Patriot League members for the Bearcats, who have increased their point total in four straight games (76-77-88-90), and are averaging 83.0 points during the stretch. 

Sophomore point guard Sam Sessoms leads the team and ranks second in the America East with 19.4 points per game. Freshman forward George Tinsley is third in the league in rebounding (8.9) and is chipping in 10.6 points per game. Freshman guard Brenton Mills (11.6 ppg.) ranks second in the conference in freshman scoring. 

It will be another matchup of premier point guards as both Sessoms and Loyola senior guard Andrew Kostecka (21.0 ppg., 1,322 career pts.) are on the national Lou Henson Award Preseason Watch List.  


Last time out
•    On Tuesday BU put four in double figures and shot 55% in a 90-69 win over Division III SUNY Oneonta
•    Sophomore guard Sam Sessoms tallied 19 points, six assists and four steals
•    Senior forward Pierre Sarr pulled down a career-high 14 rebounds
•    Freshman guard Brenton Mills added 16 points     

About Loyola
•    The Greyhounds are coming off a 1-1 split in Omaha, Neb. 
•    Loyola beat IUPUI  81-77 before losing to host Neb.-Omaha 70-65 on Tuesday
•    Played CAA teams George Mason (L 65-61) and ODU (L 62-53) close
•    Return all five starters and 14 lettermen from 11-21 team that tied for seventh in Patriot League last season
•    Senior guard and first team All-Patriot League selection Andrew Kostecka is on Lou Henson Award Preseason Watch List (along with BU guard Sam Sessoms)
•    Team was picked to finish fourth (of 10) in Patriot League Preseason Poll — highest they have been picked since joining the league in 2013-14 

All-time series vs. Loyola
•    Loyola leads the all-time series 4-1
•    The teams have split the last two games with each team winning on the road
•    Last Dec. 8 in Vestal, Loyola put five players in double figures and shot 58 percent in the second half to pull away for a 83-65 win at the Events Center
•    Two years ago, in the midst of a seven-game win streak, BU tagged host Loyola 77-64 in Baltimore

BU vs. Patriot League  
Binghamton is 11-31 all-time against members of the Patriot League, which is the league that BU has faced the most in Division I non-conference games. Loyola is the second of four PL teams BU will face this season (Army, Loyola, Colgate, Boston Univ.). 

Sessoms, Mills sweep America East weekly awards  
Sophomore guard Sam Sessoms and freshman guard Brenton Mills gave BU a 1-2 sweep of the America East weekly awards for Nov. 25. It's the first time in six years (POW Jordan Reed and ROW Marlon Beck in 2013-14) that BU has swept both awards. Sessoms averaged 24.5 points in a 2-0 week to earn his first Player of the Week honor. After pouring in 33 points with 12 rebounds against NJIT, Sessoms added 16 points and a career-high seven assists vs. Army. Mills earned his first collegiate honor with Rookie of the Week honors. He averaged 16.0 points on 52% shooting and had a crucial block to set up Sessoms' heroics at NJIT. He has scored in double figures in three of his last four games to climb into double figures (10.8 ppg.). 

Bearcats are 7th youngest team in nation
Binghamton is ranked No. 347 in experience (7th youngest team in nation) by KenPom. In each of the last three games, BU has started three freshmen (Mills, Tinsley, Hjalmarsson), a sophomore (Sessoms) and a senior (Sarr).  

Bearacts among the America East, NCAA stat leaders  
Sophomore guard Sam Sessoms leads the America East in assists (4.8), is second in free throw percentage (93.3%) and is second in scoring (19.4). Sessoms ranks 38th in the country in points. Freshman forward George Tinsley leads the conference and ranks fifth in the nation in minutes (38.5/game). Tinsley also is second in the America East in rebounding (8.9). Senior forward Pierre Sarr is fourth in the AE in blocks (1.2).