VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball begins a two-game homestand when the Bearcats (8-7, 0-2 America East) host league-leading Vermont (13-5, 3-0 AE) Thursday night. The teams will tip at 6:07 p.m. at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center.

The Bearcats, winners of six straight at home, are looking for their first America East win after dropping a pair of road games last week.  

Senior guard Tymu Chenery leads the team in scoring with 14.9 points per game. Graduate point guard Symir Torrence leads the team and conference in assists (7.2/game) and ranks fourth in the country. He also leads BU in rebounding (6.3). Senior forward Nehemiah Benson is averaging 10.5 points and leads the America East in field goal percentage (65%). 

ABOUT VERMONT
• In first place with unbeaten 3-0 mark and carry an 18-game win streak against conference opponents (longest current streak in nation)
• Picked to finish first in Coaches' Preseason Poll
• Coming off 76-55 home win over NJIT Saturday
• In that game, UVM built a 16-point halftime lead (seven 3-pointers) and shot 55% in second half to deny an NJIT comeback
• Ranked No. 24 in CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25
• Won program-best 10 non-conference games
• Opened league play with wins over Maine, UMBC and NJIT
• Returned just one starter from its 2023 championship and NCAA team but did return two of team's top-five scorers in Aaron Deloney (11.6 ppg) and Matt Veretto (8.9 ppg)
• Added four transfers and four freshmen to this year's squad
• Have maintained a mastery of America East opponents over last decade+ with five titles in last seven years and a league-best 10 overall
• In last eight years of AE play, UVM is 103-12 (90%)
• Have won 20 or more games for an incredible 14 straight seasons
• In last 7 years, have fifth-highest win percentage in nation (75.7%)
• Have had AE Player of Year for seven consecutive seasons  

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. VERMONT
• Vermont holds a commanding 43-8 lead in the series — the most lopsided among all BU's America East opponents
• Vermont has won 19 straight in the series, including three wins in each of the two seasons — regular season sweeps and a pair of going-away defeats in the America East semifinals in 2022 and 2023
• Average margin of victory during the 19-game streak is 21 points and BU has been within single digits only twice (9,6) — both at home
• In Vestal, Vermont holds a 20-6 lead, including 11 straight wins
• BU's last win was 57-55 at Events Center Feb. 18, 2015 (9 yrs. ago)

FIVE DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORERS NOT ENOUGH AT UALBANY
The Bearcats put five in double figures, scored 75 points and outshot UAlbany but allowed 24 more shots to the host Great Danes and the result was a 95-75 setback on Saturday. BU got 19 points and eight rebounds from graduate forward Armon Harried.
 
BENSON COMING UP BIG
Senior forward Nehemiah Benson last been one of the team's most reliable scorers over the last 10 games. He is averaging 12.4 points on 68% shooting. Benson is offering that production in just 21 minutes per game. His prorated minutes (to 40 minutes) would translate into a team-high 21.7 scoring average and 8.8 rebound mark. Benson continues to lead the America East in field goal percentage (65%) and is now BU's second-leading scorer (10.5 ppg).

TORRENCE LEADS AMERICA EAST, RANKS 4TH IN NCAA IN ASSISTS
Graduate guard Symir Torrence has moved near the top of the nation in assists. With at least five assists in every game this season and eight against Albany on Saturday, he now ranks fourth in the country (7.2/game). That average also leads the America East by nearly two per game. Sam Sessoms holds the BU Division I record for season assist average (4.8 in 2019-20). Torrence also leads BU in rebounding (6.3) and is fourth in scoring (9.2). He is one of just two NCAA players averaging 6-6-6 (pts-rebs-assts). The other is Tristen Newton of UConn (15.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 6.0 apg).

BALANCED SCORING, REBOUNDING
Binghamton has six players averaging 8.0 or more points. By comparison, last season's team only had four in that range. Seven different players have led the team in game scoring this season (Chenery 7, Ashe 2, Balogun 2, Benson, Harried, Walker, Walsh). Seven different players have been the top rebounder.  

20-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF EVENTS CENTER IN JANUARY
This January will mark the 20-year anniversary of the Events Center — BU's home venue (4,429 capacity this season). The inaugural game in the $33.1 million building was Jan. 31, 2004 (a 75-68 win over Hartford). The venue has hosted multiple America East Championships (2005, 2006, 2008) and the marquee game — the 2009 America East championship game when the top-seeded Bearcats beat defending champion UMBC 61-51 to capture the program's only conference title and NCAA berth. Heading into this season, the Bearcats are 115-149 all-time in the Events Center (44%). Binghamton has led the America East in home attendance in 10 of the last 18 years. Last year BU finished second (2,110/game) to Vermont.

UNBEATEN AT HOME
Binghamton is 6-0 at home to start the season. It equals the best home start to a season in the program's 23-year Division I tenure. The overall record for most home wins to start a season is seven, set by the Division III 1992-93 team that went 19-9 overall, including an 11-6 mark at home. Last season, BU went 8-7 at home, including a 3-4 mark in non-conference games. The best home record for an entire season is 12-2, (86%), set by the 2008-09 championship team.  

BINGHAMTON THIRD IN ATTENDANCE
Binghamton currently sits in third place in America East home attendance at 1,978. The Bearcats trail only UAlbany (2,070) and Vermont (2,025). UMBC is fourth (1,391).

TORRENCE AND BENSON ARE AMERICA EAST LEADERS
Senior forward Nehemiah Benson leads the America East in field goal percentage (65%), joining graduate guard Symir Torrence as conference stat leaders. Senior guard Tymu Chenery is fourth in blocks (1.8), eighth in scoring (14.6) and ninth in field goal percentage (51.7%).  

WALSH NAMED AMERICA EAST ROOKIE OF WEEK
Freshman forward Gavin Walsh earned America East Rookie of the Week honors on Jan. 2 after totaling a season-high 19 points and grabbing nine rebounds in the win over Marywood. It was Walsh's first collegiate weekly honor and he now joins teammate Evan Ashe (Nov. 13) as a ROW recipient.

CHALLENGING SCHEDULE TO OPEN AMERICA EAST PLAY
Three of BU's first four America East games come against teams picked to finish in the top-three in the Coaches' Preseason Poll. Bryant (3rd), Vermont (1st) and UMass Lowell (2nd) await the Bearcats, who also have a road game at longtime SUNY Rival UAlbany to complete the quartet of tough games. Four of the team's first six games are on the road.  

BEARCATS PROTECTING THE RIM
Binghamton ranks third in the America East and 47th in the country with 71 blocks (4.7/game). The Bearcats also are second in the AE in rebound margin (+5.7) and rank 21st in the nation in defensive rebounds (29/game) and 34th in the nation in total rebs (40.4).  

NOTABLE TEAM TRENDS
The Bearcats are 8-1 when outshooting opponents and 7-0 when holding opponents to under 40% shooting. Binghamton is 7-2 when holding the rebounding edge. In scoring, BU is 9-4 when putting at least three players in double figures. When BU holds its opponent under 70, it is 7-0. Binghamton has held a halftime lead in nine of 15 games and is 8-1 in those games.