VESTAL, N.Y. - Having moved above the .500 mark in conference play, Binghamton men's basketball (6-10, 2-1 America East) looks to continue its momentum when the Bearcats host league-leading UMass Lowell (15-3, 3-1 AE) Saturday afternoon at the Events Center. The teams will tip at 2 p.m. on Dr. Bai Lee Court and the game will be broadcast on ESPN3. 

Binghamton is coming off back-to-back wins over UNH and NJIT and sits in a tie for third in the standings - just a half-game out of first place. In conference play, BU is averaging nearly 73 points and has four players scoring in double figures, led by senior Dan Petcash (16.0 ppg.).

Petcash provided the clutch shot in the closing seconds of overtime on Wednesday with a corner 3-pointer to beat NJIT. Forwards Miles Gibson (14.0 ppg.) and Armon Harried (13.7 ppg.) continue to spark the team with their all-around play. Reigning first team all-conference guard Jacob Falko ranks 10th in the conference in scoring, fifth in assists and sixth in field goal percentage. Falko is shooting 56 percent from inside the arc and is coming off an NJIT game that saw him net 13 points and a season-high eight assists.  

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
•    This is the lone home game in a four-game, 12-day stretch 
•    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 72-71 overtime win at NJIT on Wednesday
•    Saw 13-point second-half lead slip away before rallying from three down in final 33 seconds of overtime
•    Dan Petcash was hero with game-winning corner 3-pointer with 10 seconds left
•    Petcash tallied game-high 21 points (5-of-11 3-pt.) in 42 minutes
•    Jacob Falko chipped in 13 points and eight assists in 43 minutes
•    Armon Harried just missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds
•    Taveion White started and had career-high nine points, three steals and two blocks
•    Shook off NJIT buzzer 3 to force OT
•    Played without starting wing Christian Hinckson, who was ill
•    Have won two in row to move into tie for third place in standings

About UMass Lowell
•    Picked to finish third in Coaches' Preseason Poll (one spot ahead of BU)
•    Went 12-2 in non-conference play with wins vs. UMass and Boston U.
•    Ranked as high as No. 17 in Mid-Major Top 25
•    Posted strong 80-65 home win over AE-favorite Vermont Wednesday
•    Led UVM by 14 at half, shot 54%, hit 13-of-22 from 3-point range
•    Averaging 78 points (2nd in AE) and are 8th in nation in FG% (50%)
•    Don't have a player in AE top-10 in scoring and just one in rebounding but lead league in FG% offense, FG% defense and rebounding
 
All-time series vs. UMass Lowell
•    UML leads 15-8 (11-7 as Division I programs)
•    BU has won two straight and three of the last five
•    BU swept the series last year, 68-63 at home and 78-64 in Lowell
•    UML leads 7-6 in games in Vestal
•    UML won four of five when both programs were D2 
 
Petcash strikes for another 20+ point showing, plays hero at NJIT
Senior guard Dan Petcash drained a corner 3-pointer with 10 seconds left to provide the winning margin in the 72-71 OT win at NJIT on Wednesday. He wound up with a game-high 21 points (7-of-14 FG) and tied his career-high with five 3-pointers (5-of-11). It was the second time in the last three games that Petcash eclipsed the 20-point mark (22 at Bryant on Dec. 31). In AE play, Petcash leads BU in scoring (16.0 ppg.).

A different leading scorer for five straight games
In a five-game stretch that ended with the win over UNH on Jan. 5, BU had a different leading scorer each game. It was Matt Solomon (12 vs. Oneonta), Jacob Falko (36 at Niagara), Armon Harried (25 at Cornell), Dan Petcash (22 at Bryant) and Miles Gibson (20 vs. UNH). The Bearcats have also had five different players tally 20 or more points with Christian Hinckson (20 vs. Columbia) joining the group above.  

Harried on strong four-game stretch
In his last four games, junior forward Arman Harried is averaging 16.5 points and 7.8 rebounds. He scored a career-high 25 points Dec. 29 at Cornell (16 pts. in first half) and then went for 12 at Bryant on Dec. 31, 19 vs. UNH on Jan. 5 and 10 at NJIT on Wednesday. He has narrowly missed two double-doubles after winding up with nine rebounds in two of the last three games. Harried is shooting 52% and is averaging 32 minutes in that three-game span. 

Gibson boosting numbers in conference play
Graduate forward Miles Gibson has dialed up his statistical production of late. Since conference play began, he is averaging 14.0 points and 7.3 rebounds. Against UNH on Jan. 5, Gibson produced his first double-double as a Bearcat with game-highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds. He also added three assists in two blocks in 38 minutes.  

Minutes, production elevate for White
Senior center Taveion White has seen his minutes increase in the last four games. White has averaged 22 minutes and has contributed efficient finishing (88% FG). At NJIT, White started, played a season-high 33 minutes and chipped in a career-high nine points with three steals and two blocks. He was plus 8 (team-best) against the Highlanders. 

Lineup options
Binghamton entered the season with its deepest roster in many years and the split of playing time is evidence. The team has 11 players (out of 12 on roster) averaging nine or more minutes and nine different players have been in the starting lineup. Coach Sanders has used 10 different starting lineups in 16 games.

First-half telltale
The first half remains the most prominent indicator of BU's fortunes early this season. When leading at the half the Bearcats are 6-1. When trailing, they are 0-9. The Bryant game on Dec. 31 was the only time BU led at the half (41-40) but lost. 

Falko explodes for career-high 36 points at Niagara
Senior guard Jacob Falko poured in 36 points to nearly lift BU to a comeback win at Niagara on Dec. 21. He scored 28 of those points in the second half, including 11 points in the final 1:08. Falko hit 12-of-16 from the floor after intermission, including 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. He drilled three 3-pointers in the final 28 seconds to keep the outcome in doubt. The 36-point showing broke Falko's previous career-high of 29, set at Stony Brook last February 2. It was the 10th 20+ point game of Falko's two-year BU career and it is the highest BU individual point total since Sam Sessoms tallied 38 against UNH on Feb. 29, 2020. Falko's 36 points are the most any America East player has scored this season.

70 remains tipping "point"
The 70-point scoring mark remains a key indicator for Binghamton's success. BU is 5-1 when they score more than 70 and 1-9 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.   

The Bearcats in the America East
Binghamton is in its 22nd season of membership in the America East. The Bearcats are 127-213 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 went 8-10 last season (7th) to record its highest America East win total in 12 years. That team reached the tournament semifinals for the second time in four years, thanks to a quarterfinal upset win at UNH.