VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball begins a nearly month-long stretch of home games when the Bearcats (2-5) host Marist (3-4) Wednesday night. The teams will tip at 7 p.m. at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center in a game broadcast on ESPN+. 

Binghamton has four players scoring in double digits, led by junior guard Tyler Bertram (11.6 ppg.). Bertram ranks second in the America East in 3-point shooting (40%). Sophomore guard John McGriff is adding 11.2 points and 3.0 assists per game.  

The Bearcats will play their next five games at home, concluding with the conference opener to start 2022. 

About Binghamton
•    Have dropped four of five during a demanding road stretch (five of six away)
•    On Saturday lost at Boston University 68-63 in closing minutes
•    Junior Hakon Hjalmarsson led three in double-figures with career-high 18 points
•    Played without two of top four scorers (McGriff and Amos), each out with flu
•    Rallied from nine down to tie the game at 60 with 1:43 left but surrendered eight straight decisive points in the closing 71 seconds
•    Outshot Boston 46% to 42% but were doubled on the glass (41-20) and host Terriers were aided by 25 free throw attempts (to Bearcats' 12)   

About Marist
•    Picked third in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll – the highest projection in 15 years
•    Return eight of top nine scorers from last season, including preseason All-MAAC guard Ricardo Wright
•    Team went 12-9 and placed fourth in MAAC last winter, losing in postseason quarterfinals
•    Have one common opponent – defeated Columbia 82-67 on Nov. 12 (Columbia beat BU 85-77 in overtime five days later)
•    Coming off 79-67 win over Rider on Sunday
•    Average 24 3-point attempts (Wright shooting team-best 42%)
•    In MAAC opener last Wednesday led MAAC favorite Iona by seven with 2:41 left before being outscored 14-0 to end game

All-time series vs. Marist
•    The series is tied 2-2 (1-1 in Vestal)
•    Binghamton won the first two head-to-head games in 2008 and 2009 but Marist swept the two-game series to open the season last winter, winning 68-65 in OT at the Events Center on Dec. 5, 2020 and 64-60 in Poughkeepsie one day later
•    In the opener at the Events Center on Dec. 5, Marist made one fewer field goal but converted 16-of-20 free throws to prevail in overtime
•    One day later, Marist scored 38 points in the paint and forced 16 BU turnovers
•    Departed BU stars Thomas Bruce and Brenton Mills combined for 65 points in the two-game series 
•    Binghamton is 7-15 all-time against teams from the MAAC and will play one more MAAC foe on Dec. 21 when Niagara comes to the Events Center 
   
70 is magic number
When the Bearcats score 70 or more points, they are 2-1 this season. When they don't reach 70, they are 0-4. When opponents reach 70, Binghamton 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 +8 mark (not including the team's game against Division III Hartwick). Akuwovo was +13 against Columbia for his best single game. 

Injuries, illness starting to become a story line
The Bearcats have played without at least one injured or ill starter in six of its seven games this season. Starting guard Dan Petcash (11.3 ppg.) missed four games with an injury and starting point guard John McGriff (11.2 ppg.) and starting center Ogheneyole Akuwovo (6.8 ppg., 4.8 rpg.) have each missed a recent game with illness. Further, Petcash went down with an injury at the end of the Boston game and is now out again. 

Late rally comes up short at Boston
On Saturday, Boston University scored eight straight points in the closing 1:15 and the host Terriers held off Binghamton 68-63 in a matchup of former America East foes. A 3-pointer by junior guard Hakon Hjalmarsson pulled the Bearcats even at 60-60 with 1:43 left. It capped a second-half rally from nine points down for Binghamton. But the Terriers scored four of their final eight points from the line, where they converted 20-of-24 in the second half. Hjalmarsson scored a season-high 18 points (4-of-6 3-pt.) to lead three Bearcats in double figures.