BANGOR, Maine - After a long Thursday evening in Durham, N.H., Binghamton men's basketball (8-10, 0-5 America East) continued north to Bangor, Maine and will face the Black Bears (10-10, 2-3 AE) Saturday afternoon at the Cross Insurance Center. Tip is at 2 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

On Thursday, Binghamton put four players in double figures and outrebounded host UNH but came up short in overtime, 79-73. The Bearcats led for 25 minutes of the game (to 12+ minutes for UNH) but the Wildcats rode 74 points from their starting unit and ended the overtime session with a decisive 13-4 run (7 FTs). 

After Saturday's game, BU will play four of its next five games at the Events Center, where BU is 6-2 this season.   

ABOUT MAINE 
• Coming off 81-73 home win over UAlbany on Thursday
• In that game, Maine shot 53%, received a double-double from Peter Filipovity (23 pts, 11 rebs) and made seven FT in the final 53 seconds to seal the Black Bears' second straight win
• Began America East play with narrow seven-point loss to UVM in Burlington
• Other conference win was 70-64 over host NJIT last Saturday
• First four America East games were each decided by seven or fewer points 
• Return four starters from 13-win team that went 7-9 in AE to place seventh
• Reigning America East Defensive Player of Year Kellen Tynes led nation in steals (3.3/game) last year
• Picked fifth of nine in Coaches' Preseason Poll
• Head Coach Chris Markwood is in his second season at helm   

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. MAINE 
•    Maine leads a tight all-time series 23-21
•    Black Bears swept last year's series, winning 78-57 in Bangor in January and 71-67 in Vestal one month later
•    In Bangor last Jan. 22, the first-place Bearcats struggled throughout on offense, committing 19 turnovers and hitting just 2-of-13 from 3-point range. Maine built a 15-point lead halfway through the first period and never looked back, holding BU 13 points under its season scoring average. In the return game on Feb. 25 at the Events Center, visiting Maine closed overtime with a 10-2 run to sneak past BU in front of a season-high 3,678 fans. The Bearcats led by as many as 15 points and led for 38 minutes of the game before faltering late.
•    BU won the season series two years ago
•    Teams have alternated season sweeps over the last five years after splitting the season series in the previous five years (2013-17)
•    In Orono/Bangor, Maine has 13-8 advantage in the series
•    Three of the last four games in Bangor have been lopsided (20+ pts)  

NAILBITER AT NEW HAMPSHIRE 
The Bearcats battled UNH to the wire in a 79-73 OT loss Thursday night. BU led by as many as 12 in the second half and had a four-point lead with 1:07 left in regulation before the Wildcats rallied. In OT, UNH used a 13-4 closing run, primarily at the free throw line (24-for-33 for game) to pin a fourth straight loss on the Bearcats. Sophomore forward Chris Walker led four BU double-digit scorers with 17 points and also had a team-high eight rebounds. Graduate point guard Symir Torrence handed out nine assists — the fifth time this season he's tallied nine or more. Graduate guard Dan Petcash matched his highest scoring outing of the season with 16 points (6-for-9 FG). Binghamton surrendered 54 combined points to UNH standouts Clarence Daniels (32) and Ahmad Robinson (22).    

BEARCATS HAVE MISSED CHENERY
Senior guard and leading scorer Tymu Chenery has missed the last two games with an injury. He has been having his finest collegiate season, averaging 14.7 points on 51% shooting. In his last 13 games, Chenery is averaging 16.1 points with 11 double-digit games, including five straight. He has been BU's top scorer eight times and is logging 29 minutes a game.  

BENSON COMING UP BIG
Senior forward Nehemiah Benson last been one of the team's most reliable scorers over the last 13 games. He is averaging 11.4 points on 65% shooting. Benson is offering that production in just 20 minutes per game. His prorated minutes (to 40 minutes) would translate into a team-high 20.4 scoring average and 8.1 rebound mark. Benson continues to lead the America East in field goal percentage (65%) and is now BU's second-leading scorer (10.1 ppg).

TORRENCE LEADS AMERICA EAST, RANKS 5TH 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 nine against UNH on Thursday, he ranks fifth 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 (6.2, 9th in AE) and is fourth in scoring (9.2). He is the only player in the country averaging 6-6-9 (pts-rebs-assts). 

BALANCED SCORING, REBOUNDING 
Binghamton has six players averaging 7.0 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 8, Walker 2, Ashe 2, Balogun 3, Benson, Harried, Walsh). Seven different players have been the top rebounder.  

CHALLENGING SCHEDULE TO OPEN AE PLAY
Three of BU's first four America East games came against teams picked to finish in the top-three in the Coaches' Preseason Poll: Bryant (3rd), Vermont (1st) and UMass Lowell (2nd). The combined record of BU's first five opponents is 21-4. Four of the team's first six AE games are on the road.  

BEARCATS STRONG ON GLASS
Binghamton is second in the AE in rebound margin (+4.6) and rank 37th in the nation in defensive rebounds (28.0/game) and 62nd in the nation in total rebs (39.0).   

70 REMAINS BREAKING POINT
When BU holds its opponent under 70 (in regulation), it's 7-1. When opponents reach the 70-point mark, BU is 1-8. When the Bearcats score 70 or more points (in regulation), they are 7-2. Under 70 they are 1-8.