VESTAL, N.Y. - Riding a three-game win streak and sitting atop the America East standings, Binghamton men's basketball begins the first of back-to-back home games when the Bearcats (5-6, 2-0 AE) face fellow unbeaten NJIT (7-5, 2-0 AE) Saturday afternoon at the Events Center. The men's game will tip at approximately 4 p.m. or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the preceding women's game between the two schools.

The Bearcats are riding high after posting an 88-79 road win at Albany Thursday night. That victory, coupled with the previous 68-63 win over UMass Lowell last Sunday has given BU its first 2-0 start to league play in more than a decade. 

Binghamton has four players scoring in double figures, led by junior guard Dan Petcash (11.3), who is close to returning from injury. Junior Tyler Bertram (10.9), sophomore Kellen Amos (10.7) and junior Jacob Falko (10.6) are pacing a Bearcats team that leads the America East in shooting (47%). 

About Binghamton
• Earned 88-79 win at Albany Thursday, snapping 10-game losing skid at SEFCU
• Shot 59% and surpassed season scoring average by 17 points
• Jacob Falko continued hot hand with career-high 28 points on 10-of-13 shooting
• Kellen Amos (17), Christian Hinckson (12) and Tyler Bertram (11) in twin digits
• Led entire second half after nine lead changes in first period
• Hit season-high 12 3-pointers (12-of-25, 48%) and had season-high 23 assists
• Will play second straight game without head coach Levell Sanders, out due to COVID protocols

 About NJIT
• Unbeaten in AE play (2-0) and tied atop standings with Bearcats
• Have defeated Maine (69-66) and UMass Lowell (77-72)
• Miles Coleman pumped in 30 points with 9 rebounds in road win at Lowell Thursday night
• Picked to finish eighth in the America East Preseason Poll
• Entering 16th season at Division I - second in America East
• Returned three starters and eight lettermen from 7-11 team that placed eighth and lost in quarterfinals, led by All-Rookie pick Mekhi Gray
• Graduated talented all-conference guard Zach Cooks

All-time series vs. NJIT
• Binghamton leads the abbreviated series, 3-2
• Teams played once as D3 members (74-72 NJIT win in 1983) and then split non-conference games in 2018 and 2019
• Last season, BU swept pair of weekend games in Newark, winning 76-63 and 72-58 on Feb. 20-21 in the final two regular season games
• In that two-game series, Dan Petcash tallied 30 combined points and Tyler Bertram added 27 points and BU shot 56%
• BU has won three straight — all at the Wellness and Events Center

Bearcats buck history with win over Albany
Binghamton reversed a decade of hardship with Thursday's win at Albany. Thanks to a big offensive showing, BU snapped a 10-game losing streak at SEFCU Arena and beat the Great Danes for just the second time in 21 games. The team's 88 points were the most against an America East opponent in 13 years, since the 2008-09 title team also put 88 up in a win over Albany.  

Reward for road win ... bus breakdown
All didn't go smoothly Thursday night for the Bearcats. After the team's nine-point road win at Albany, a straightforward two-hour return ride to campus turned into a nearly six-hour adventure after a bus breakdown on desolate I-88. After waiting two hours off the highway amid snow fall, a repair part was delivered and the bus eventually rolled onto campus after 3 a.m.  

Falko on fire
Junior guard Jacob Falko poured in a career-high 28 points in the win at Albany on Jan. 6 and has scored 63 points in his last three games (21 ppg.), including back-to-back 20+ outings. In that three-game stretch, Falko is shooting 65% from the floor and 88% from the line. He is the first Bearcat since Sam Sessoms to post back-to-back 20+ point games. Early in conference play, Falko ranks first in the America East assists (6.5 apg.) and fourth in scoring (24.0 ppg.). He is the reigning Binghamton University Athlete of the Week.  

Bearcats lead league in shooting
Binghamton has found an offensive rhythm this season and leads the America East in field goal percentage (47%). The Bearcats have shot above 50% in four games and above 58% in three of those. BU also ranks second in the AE in 3-point shooting (37%). They are taking four fewer per game (22) than a year ago but have raised their accuracy from 33%.  

Hinckson also picking up steam in starting role
Junior wing Christian Hinckson has started four straight games and has responded by averaging nearly a double-double with 9.5 points and 8.8 rebounds. He has been in double figures in three of the four games and notched his first career double-double (11 pts, 12 rebs) in the win over UMass Lowell on Jan. 2. Normally a slasher, Hinckson has also stretched his range with at least one 3-pointer in each of those games, including three (in a key 4-minute span in second half) at Albany.

Amos settling into key role
Sophomore guard Kellen Amos has offered double-digit points off the bench in each of his last three games, including 17 in the win at Albany. He is shooting 48% on the season and is second on the team in 3-pointers (16).

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 4-1 this season. When opponents reach 70, BU is 1-4.

Akuwovo still tops team in season plus/minus ratings
Junior center Ogheneyole Akuwovo has the best plus/minus rating on the Bearcats with a +16 mark (not including the team's games against Division III opponents). Akuwovo was +13 against Columbia for his best single game.

Leading scorer Petcash close to returning from 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.