VESTAL, N.Y. - After a long layoff that began for final exams and extended due to COVID protocols, Binghamton men's basketball (3-6) welcomes UMass Lowell (8-4) to the Events Center for the America East opener Sunday afternoon. The teams will tip at 2 p.m. at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center in a game broadcast on ESPN+. 

Binghamton begins its third decade in the America East and will play three of its first four conference games at home.

Three players are averaging just under 10 points a game led by junior guard Tyler Bertram (9.9 ppg.). Junior point guard John McGriff (9.8) and sophomore guard Kellen Amos (9.8) are part of a group of six Bearcats who are contributing seven or more points a game.  

QUICK HITS
•    This is Binghamton's 76th season of basketball, 21st in the America East
•    The 2021-22 season marks the NCAA coaching debut of Levell Sanders, who was elevated to the head coach position in March after two seasons as an assistant coach. Sanders previously coached five years in the Czech Republic after a 17-year pro career overseas
•    This is the America East opener for both teams
•    First of an 18-game conference slate (home-and-home with nine other members over next 10 weeks)  

About Binghamton
•    Coming off longer-than-expected three-week layoff after last two games were canceled due to COVID protocols
•    Haven't faced a Division I opponent since a 64-51 home loss to Marist on Dec. 8 
•    Finished non-conference slate and will turn attention to 9+ weeks of AE play
•    Won't have a double-figure scorer in the lineup today but will have six players averaging 7.0 or more points in a balanced offense 

About UMass Lowell
•    Picked to finish sixth in the America East Preseason Poll
•    Coming off 70-62 home win over Sacred Heart on Dec. 19
•    Had game vs. St. Francis Brooklyn on Dec. 23 canceled due to COVID
•    Non-conference slate featured pair of road wins over Atlantic 10 members Dayton an George Washington and matchup with Oklahoma State
•    Returned 10 letterwinners from last year's sixth-seeded team that won three postseason games to reach the championship game (lost to #4 Hartford 64-50)
•    Graduated top scorer and first team all-conference pick Obadiah Noel
•    Return leading rebounder Connor Withers and All-Rookie picks Anthony Blunt and Max Brooks
•    Have two common opponent with Bearcats – Sacred Heart and Boston University. Both defeated Sacred Heart and both lost away games vs. Terriers

All-time series vs. UMass Lowell
• UML leads series, which began in 1999, 15-6
• Both programs were members of the Division II New England Collegiate Conference and played five times in two seasons (1998-00) before BU exited for NCAA Division I membership
• UML joined the America East in 2013-14 and the teams have played twice a year since
• River Hawks have won three of last four head-to-head
• UML is averaging 80 points in the last eight meetings
• Last season UML swept the weekend series, winning 92-78 and 77-67 last January 6-7 at the Events Center
• UML holds a 7-4 lead in games in Vestal
• The last BU win was 86-84 on Feb. 20, 2020 at the Events Center – thanks in part to 39 points from Sam Sessoms (record for a regulation game)

Binghamton all-time in America East openers
Binghamton is 6-14 all-time in America East openers, including 1-7 in home openers. The last BU opening win was in 2018-19 when the Bearcats defeated visiting New Hampshire 69-58.

The Bearcats in the America East
Binghamton is entering its 21st season of membership in the America East. The Bearcats are 119-203 all-time (37%) during those two decades. The team's best regular season conference records came in 2008-09 (13-3, 1st) and 2005-06 (12-4, 2nd). The program also had 10 America East wins in 2003-04 (5th place) and nine wins in both 2002-03 (4th) and 2007-08 (T-4th). Binghamton has been kept below six conference wins in 11 straight seasons.  

70 is magic number
When the Bearcats score 70 or more points, they are 3-1 this season. When they don't reach 70, they are 0-5. When opponents reach 70, BU is 0-4.

Akuwovo tops team in season plus/minus ratings
Junior center Ogheneyole Akuwovo has the best plus/minus rating on the Bearcats with a +10 mark (not including the team's games against Division III opponents). Akuwovo was +13 against Columbia for his best single game.

Leading scorer Petcash out with injury
Starting junior guard Dan Petcash (11.3 ppg., 68% FG) has been limited to three games due to injuries. After missing the team's first four games of the season, Petcash returned and scored in double figures in two of three games before going down again with an injury late in the Dec. 4 game at Boston University. With that injury and several other ailments, BU has utilized five different starting lineups in nine games.

BU puts four in double figures, rolls over Oneonta on Dec. 11
In the team's last game before a 10-day break for final exams, BU built a 41-24 halftime lead and shot 62% in the second half to run away from visiting SUNY Oneonta (Div. III) on Dec. 11. Juniors George Tinsley, Jacob Falko and Hakon Hjalmarsson scored 15 points apiece and sophomore Kellen Amos added 11 points. Tinsley and Falko each hit 7of-10 from the field.