VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball (3-4) welcomes a first-time opponent to the Events Center Saturday afternoon when Stonehill (Mass.) (3-6) comes to town. The teams will play the back-half of a BU basketball doubleheader that begins with the women's team at 2 p.m. The men's game will tip no earlier than 4 p.m. but likely closer to 4:30 p.m.

Senior guard Jacob Falko continues to pace the Bearcats in scoring (14.9 ppg.). Falko is averaging 20.0 points over his last three games and is shooting 48 percent for the season. 

QUICK HITS
• This is Binghamton's 77th season of basketball, 22nd in D-I and the America East
• The Bearcats were picked to finish fourth of nine in the AE Coaches' Preseason Poll — tied for the highest in the program's 22 years of conference membership
• Today is the middle game of three straight at home in an eight-day span
• BU returns four starters but only 61% of scoring and 63% of minutes (8 departures)
• BU has the third-oldest roster in the country with an average age of 22.0 years

About Binghamton
• Coming off 84-70 home loss to Loyola on Wednesday
• Shot 49% but Loyola shot 71% in second half and drilled 11 3-pointers for game
• Greyhounds ended game with decisive 16-4 run
• Jacob Falko scored team-high 18 points with five assists and two blocks
• Christian Hinckson (11 pts.) and Dan Petcash (10) also reached double figures
• Played without two starters — injured Armon Harried and sick John McGriff
• BU ended November with 3-4 record (have dropped 4-of-5 after a 2-0 start)

About Stonehill
• First-year Division I program playing out of Northeast Conference
• Strong Division II program that made 15 NCAA tournament appearances before elevating entire athletics program in 2022-23
• Coming off 92-45 home win over DII Eastern Nazarene on Wednesday
• Recorded historic first DI win over Army, 82-77, on Nov. 12
• Also beat Patriot League member Holy Cross 81-79 on Nov. 19
• Lost at fellow America East member UMass Lowell 73-59 last Sunday
• High-octane offense averaging 78.8 points
• Returned three starters and 10 lettermen from 15-12 team last winter
• Fifth-year forward Andrew Sims ranks third in NEC in scoring (17.0)  
 
All-time series vs. Stonehill
• Binghamton leads 1-0
• Teams met during BU's third and final year of DII 22 years ago
• Binghamton won 59-51 in semifinals of St. Rose Capital Key Classic in Albany on Dec. 29, 2000
• BU is 20-16 all-time against members of the Northeast Conference but is 0-1 this season, having lost to Sacred Heart 75-60 two weeks ago
     
Falko named BU Athlete of the Week
Senior guard Jacob Falko was selected as BU's Miller Auto Team Student-Athlete of the Week after averaging 22.0 points in a 1-1 week for the Bearcats. Falko scored 24 points, including a key 3-pointer with 5.6 seconds left that sparked a late comeback win against Columbia. Falko then added 20 points at La Salle. In the two games, he shot 53% from the field, hit 6-of-12 3-pointers and added 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists.  

Bearcats getting familiar with close games
Three of BU's first six games (against Division I opponents) this season have been decided by three or fewer points and the Bearcats are 2-1 in those games. Binghamton played just four games all last season that were decided by that narrow margin and were 1-3 with the one win coming in the America East tournament (72-69 over UNH).  

70 remains tipping "point"
The 70-point scoring mark remains a key indicator for Binghamton's success. Early this season, BU is 3-0 when they score more than 70 and 0-3 when they are at or below 70. Last season, BU was 8-2 when they reached 70 points and 3-15 when they came in under 70.