VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball begins its two-games-in-four-days stretch to close out the regular season when the Bearcats (8-21, 4-10 America East) face Maine (5-24, 3-11 AE) on Saturday. The teams, separated by one game in the standings, will square off at an early 11 a.m. start time at the Cross Insurance Center in downtown Bangor.

Coming off a brilliant 34-point showing against Hartford on Wednesday, freshman guard Sam Sessoms lifted his scoring average to 19.7 ppg. Sessoms is averaging 20.0 points in conference play - the highest league average of any BU player in its Division I history.   

QUICK HITS
• This is Binghamton's 73rd season of basketball, 18th at the Division I level
• BU was picked to finish 6th (of 9) in the America East Preseason Coaches' Poll
• This is the 18th America East season for BU, which is 106-170 (.384) all-time
• BU has clinched a spot in the AE playoffs and will finish either seventh or eighth   

Last time out
• Freshman guard Sam Sessoms tied school records with eight 3-pointers and 34 points but Hartford shot 60% and won 96-76 Wednesday in Vestal
• Sessoms scored 24 of his points in the second half when BU cut a 26-point margin to 10 with 6:13 left but Bearcats could draw no closer
• Senior forward Caleb Stewart added 22 points (17 in first half)       

About Maine
• Coming off 70-61 home loss to UMass Lowell on Wednesday
• Hav dropped six straight games, four by single digits
• Lost leading scorer, rebounder and assist man Andrew Fleming to season-ending injury during Stony Brook game on Feb. 23
• Team returned three starters and eight letterwinners from a 6-26 team (3-13 AE) and was picked to finish tied for seventh (one spot behind BU) in the preseason poll
• Head coach Richard Barron guided the Maine women's program for six successful seasons before taking over the men's program this season

All-time series vs. Maine
• Maine leads the series, 19-18, on the strength of five wins in last eight games
• On Jan. 26 in Vestal, senior forward Caleb Stewart posted a double-double (26 pts., 11 rebs.) and BU made 10 free throws in the final 4:35 to preserve a 78-66 win
• BU shot 54 percent for the game but trailed 51-44 with 12:20 remaining before five different players scored during a decisive 20-8 run 
• The home team has won seven of the last 11 games
• The Bearcats are 5-12 all-time in Bangor/Orono
• The last four games have been decided by a combined 18 points

Binghamton clinches playoff spot, can finish seventh or eighth
With two regular season games remaining, BU has clinched a top-eight playoff spot and will finish either seventh or eighth in the standings. A win over Maine would secure the No. 7 seed for the upcoming America East tournament.  

Sessoms' record-tying performance not enough to beat Hartford
Freshman guard Sam Sessoms exploded for 34 points (8-of-15 3-pt. FG), including 24 in the second half, in the 96-76 loss to Hartford on Wednesday. Sessoms tied school records for points in a game and 3-pointers in a game — both of which are held by teammate J.C. Show. His 24 points in a half are second-most in program history (Dusan Perovic scored 29 points in the second half en route to 34 points at Boston Univ. on Dec. 3, 2014). Sessoms has two of the top eight scoring performances in the America East this season, having also netted 32 points against UMass Lowell on Jan. 23.

Sessoms has six Rookie of Week honors, eying AE Rookie of Year award
Freshman guard Sam Sessoms has been named America East Rookie of the Week six times this season (Nov. 12, Nov. 26, Dec. 10, Dec. 24, Jan. 7, Feb. 11) and is the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year honors. Only six America East players in league history (30+ years) have received more rookie honors. His 20.0 scoring average in conference games is currently the highest in program history (D.J. Rivera averaged 19.7 ppg. in 2008-09) and is No. 2 in the conference, behind Vermont big man Anthony Lamb (20.8 ppg.).    

Show heating up as his collegiate career winds down
Senior guard J.C. Show has averaged 17.5 points in his last four games, including a pair of 20+ performances. He has made 18-of-33 (55%) from 3-point range in that span and had a season-high 22-point showing against Vermont on Feb. 23. Show has 896 points in 2+ seasons in a BU uniform, which ranks seventh all-time. He has 1,132 total collegiate points (236 for Bucknell as freshman).  

Bearcats lead America East, rank 16th in nation in blocks
Despite opening the season without the top shot blocker in the America East (Thomas Bruce), BU has racked up 136 blocks through 29 games, tops in the AE and 16th-most in the country. In blocks per game, BU led the country for a week and currently ranks 25th (4.8/game). Individually, senior forward Caleb Stewart swatted a career-high five vs. Columbia and has 51 blocks, which ranks third in the conference and 53rd in the country. His 1.76 average is 69th. Senior forward Chancellor Barnard had a career-high seven-block showing (all in second half) against UMass Lowell on Jan. 23 and has 41 blocks (4th in AE). 

Stewart among AE leaders in rebounding
Prior to the foul-plagued Vermont game on Saturday, senior forward Caleb Stewart had a lengthy string of big rebound performances. In the eight previous games, Stewart averaged 10.3 boards, including five straight double-digit games. Stewart is fifth in the America East in rebounding (7.2) and also ranks third in the AE in blocks (1.8).   

Sessoms goes off in first half against UMass Lowell, flirts with record
Freshman guard Sam Sessoms hit 8-of-10 shots (4-of-5 3-pt.) in the first half against UMass Lowell on Jan. 23 and wound up with 22 points in 15 minutes of action. He added 10 more in the second half to finish with 32 points, two shy of tying the school single-game record. His eight first-half field goals were the third-most in a half in program history.

Sessoms still fifth in nation in freshman scoring, sets records
Freshman guard Sam Sessoms now ranks second in the conference in scoring (18.7 ppg.), is fifth in the entire nation in freshman scoring and fourth in the nation among players 6-feet or shorter. He has 12 20+ point games this season (2nd most in BU single-season history). Sessoms ranks 25th in the country in made field goals. He already has established BU freshman records for points, assists, steals and 3-pointers in a season.