VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball looks to keep up its solid play when the Bearcats (5-10, 1-1 America East) travel to Newark to face NJIT (4-11, 1-1 AE) on Wednesday. The teams square off at 7 p.m. at the Wellness & Events Center.

Binghamton is coming off a resounding 68-50 home win over UNH on Jan. 5. The victory looks all the more impressive after the Wildcats then took down league favorite Vermont in their next game. The Bearcats began league play with a tight four-point loss at Bryant, who was picked to finish second. 

Senior guard Jacob Falko (14.9 ppg.) leads three players scoring in double figures. Falko is eighth in scoring in the conference and sixth in field goal percentage (50%). Junior forward Armon Harried (12.3 ppg.) and graduate Miles Gibson (10.7 ppg.) are also in double digits. Harried also ranks eighth in the conference in rebounding (6.7 rpg.). Gibson is the reigning Binghamton Athlete of the Week after posting a double-double (20 pts., 10 rebs.) in the win over UNH. 

NJIT has won three of its last five and is coming off a tough 91-83 overtime win up in Orono, Maine. That came after the Highlanders played UMass Lowell to a three-point loss in their conference opener.  

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
•    BU plays three of the next four on the road beginning tonight in Newark
•    BU had the weekend bye so team has been idle for six days
•    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
•    Opened 2023 calendar year with 68-50 home win over UNH last Thursday
•    Closed first half on 21-8 run to lead by 14 at break and led for 34+ minutes
•    Miles Gibson recorded first double-double as Bearcat with 20 points, 10 rebounds
•    Armon Harried added 19 points — 12 in the first half when BU took control
•    Held UNH to a season low 50 pts (17 points under its season scoring average)
•    Held league's No. 1 rebounder and No. 2 scorer Clarence Daniels to 7 pts and 8 rebs
•    For third straight game went with "small" lineup without a true center
•    Played rotation of just seven guys with starting five accounting for 77% of minutes 

 About NJIT
•    Picked to finish eighth of nine in the Coaches' Preseason Poll
•    Coming off 91-83 overtime win at Maine Sunday
•    Have won three of last five and are 1-1 in AE play
•    Third-year America East program in its 17th season of Division I
•    Returned seven players (2 starters) from 11-18 team (6-12 AE, 9th)
•    Began AE play with tight 67-64 home loss to UMass Lowell on Dec. 31
•    Beat Niagara by nine points three days before BU lost to Purple Eagles
•    Also beat Sacred Heart by 10 three days after Bearcats lost by 15 to Pioneers
 
All-time series vs. NJIT
•    BU leads 4-3 (4-2 since both schools were D1)
•    Teams split season series last year with road team winning each time
•    BU won last meeting 68-57 last Jan. 22 in Newark
•    Only one of six games as D1 foes has been decided by single digits
•    The last two games have each been decided by 11 points
 
A different leading scorer for five straight games
In the last five games, BU has had a different leading scorer each game. It's been 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.  

The Bearcats in the America East
Binghamton is entering 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.  

Harried on strong three-game stretch
In his last three games, junior forward Arman Harried is averaging 18.6 points and 7.3 rebounds. He scored a career-high 25 points Dec. 29 at Cornell (16 pts. in first half) and then went for 12 at Bryant and 19 vs. UNH in his lasting outing. Harried is shooting 50% and is averaging 31 minutes in that three-game span. 

Gibson tallies double-double vs. UNH, is hot as well
Graduate forward Miles Gibson has dialed up his statistical production of late. In his last three games, Gibson is averaging 15.6 points on 51% shooting and 6.3 rebounds. Against UNH last Thursday, 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. 

Hinckson boosting numbers of late
Graduate forward Christian Hinckson has bumped up his season averages in the last three games. During that stretch, he is scoring 9.7 points and pulling down 6.3 rebounds. Hinckson is averaging 31 minutes during that three-game span. 

Minutes, production elevate for White
Senior center Taveion White has seen his minutes increase in the last three games. White has averaged 18 minutes and has contributed efficient finishing (75% FG), solid rebounding (3.0/game) and team defense. For the season, White is one of the team leaders in plus/minus (-1)

Lineup options
Binghamton entered the season with its deepest roster in many years and the split of playing time is evidence. The team has 10 players (out of 12 on roster) averaging double-digit minutes and nine different players have been in the starting lineup. Only one player (Jacob Falko) is averaging more than 29 minutes and Coach Sanders has used nine different starting lineups in 15 games.