VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball (8-7) welcomes UMBC (8-7) in the America East opener for both teams Saturday afternoon. The teams, sporting identical non-conference records and picked to be near-even in the preseason poll, square off for the 47th time when they meet at 2 p.m. at Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center. The game will be broadcast on SNY and ESPN+. 

LOSS AT MARIST CLOSES NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
Binghamton had an uncharacteristic offensive performance Sunday at Marist and lost 69-51. The Bearcats experienced season-lows in shooting (30%), scoring and offensive accolades (one player in double digits). 

WIN STREAK SNAPPED
The Bearcats had their six-game win streak snapped Sunday at Marist. The loss also prevented the Bearcats from finishing off a perfect December (5-1). During the win streak, Bing shot 50% as a team (43% from 3-point) and averaged 75.7 points on offense, while giving up 67. 

TOUGH SLEDDING IN AMERICA EAST OPENERS
Binghamton is 7-16 all-time in America East openers, including 2-7 in home openers. The Bearcats have dropped their conference opener in four of the last five years with the lone win coming in 2021-22 (68-63 over visiting UMass Lowell). Binghamton will look to get out of the gate strong, the way the team finished AE play last season (winning four of last five).  

WINNING NON-CONFERENCE MARK
With its eight wins in Nov.-Dec., Binghamton produced a second straight winning record in non-conference play. The team went 8-5 last season, giving the Bearcats back-to-back above-.500 seasons in non-conference play for the first time in seven years. The eight wins are the second-highest non-conference total in the team's 24-year Division I era (9 wins in 2016-17 and 2017-18).  

TOP-FOUR SPOT, HOME PLAYOFF GAME IS TARGET
As the 16-game conference slate opens, Binghamton will begin its quest for a top-four regular season spot with the prize being a home quarterfinal game on March 8. The last time BU hosted a home playoff game was the 2009 championship game, which No. 1 BU won 61-51 over No. 6 UMBC. The last time the Bearcats hosted a quarterfinal game was in 2006, when No. 2 BU toppled No. 7 Maine, 71-62. Binghamton is 10-17 all-time in the America East tournament (3-3 home). 

TRADITIONALLY NEED NINE CONFERENCE WINS TO BE IN TOP-4 ... EXCEPT LAST YEAR
Tracking the win-loss records relative to the final standings over the last 15 years (since BU last hosted a playoff game) yields an average number of wins required to finish among the top-4 and secure at least one home playoff game. The average wins (since 2009) of the fourth-place America East finisher is 9+. Third-place finishers have averaged 10+ wins. Second-place teams have won 11+ games and the regular season champion has averaged 14+ wins. So a 9-7 BU record (two-game improvement over last season) would likely put the Bearcats in the mix for a top-four spot, with tiebreakers always in play to sort out the seeds. Last season was a slight aberration of the data with the top-3 teams going a combined 37-11 to pull away. The No. 4 tournament seed went to UNH, who finished in a three-way tie with the Bearcats and Maine at 7-9.   

MORE EVENLY-MATCHED FOES TO KICK OFF AMERICA EAST SLATE
Last year, the Bearcats had an unforgiving schedule to open league play. They had to face the top three teams — both in the Preseason Poll and final standings — Vermont, Bryant, UMass Lowell in the team's first four games. That gauntlet began a tough 0-5 start that pinned Binghamton down in the standings. This season, however, the Bearcats open with games against Preseason #5 (UMBC), #4 (Maine) and #9 (UNH), which presents an opportunity to establish some early momentum before a challenging 15-day stretch (Jan. 16-30) that includes two games against three-time reigning champion Vermont and a road game at Preseason #3 Bryant.   

WALSH SETS REBOUNDING RECORD WITH 20 BOARDS AT ARMY
Six weeks after tying the school record (Div. I era) with 19 boards at Fordham, sophomore forward Gavin Walsh secured the record himself with 20 rebounds at Army on Dec. 21. Walsh had 10 in each half and wound up with three offensive and 17 defensive boards to set the new standard. He now is one of eight players across the country with 20 rebounds in a game and he's the shortest of all of them (at 6-foot-8). Walsh is one of just two to have a 19-rebound AND a 20-rebound game (along with 6-foot-10 center Johni Broome of Auburn). 

BINGHAMTON PLUS-MINUS SEASON LEADERS
Sophomore forward Gavin Walsh leads the team with a +23 plus/minus rating. Graduate forward Ben Callahan-Gold is at +16 and graduate guard Tymu Chenery is at +14. 

BENIGNI CLOSE TO RETURNING
Graduate guard Jackson Benigni is close to returning to action after missing the last 6+ weeks with injury. Benigni, who averaged 11.3 points at Stonehill last season, played the first two games of the season (Penn State, Oneonta) before suffering an injury. He was expected to be in contention for a starting role this year as a 2-guard and perhaps more importantly, a vocal, veteran leader. 

WALSH HAS COMMANDING AMERICA EAST REBOUNDING LEAD
Sophomore forward Gavin Walsh continues to lead the America East in rebounding (10.1) by more than two boards per game over Earl Timberlake of Bryant (7.8). Walsh ranks fifth in the country in defensive rebounds, eighth in total rebounds and 16th in rebounds per game. He also leads the conference and ranks 26th in the nation with five double-doubles, thanks to a stretch of four consecutive (one shy of the school record). Walsh is close to averaging a double-double for the season (9.5 ppg., 10.1 rpg.). The last Bearcat to make a run at averaging a double-double for the season was all-conference freshman Jordan Reed in 2012-13. Reed averaged 16.6 points and a school-record 9.5 rebounds.   

WALKER HAS DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED SHOOTING TOUCH, SCORING OUTPUT
In his second season as a Bearcat, senior guard Chris Walker has raised his offensive statistics dramatically. Points have more than doubled (5.9 to 12.1 ppg.), field goal percentage is up from 33% to 54% and 3-point shooting is up from 28% to 50%. He has nearly matched his season 3-point total from last season (29 last year, 26 this year) with more than half the season remaining. During the team's six-game win streak, Walker averaged 18.8 points on 64% shooting (63% from 3-point range). He was the America East Player of the Week on Dec. 9.    

BEARCATS NEAR TOP OF AMERICA EAST RANKINGS
Binghamton is asserting itself in the conference rankings during the non-conference portion of the season. The Bearcats lead the America East in field goal percentage defense (41%) and defending against the 3-pointer (29%). The team also ranks second in 3-point accuracy (38%) and third in scoring defense (70.0), 3-pointers per game (7.8), field goal shooting (46%), rebounds (35.7) and rebound margin (+1.3). 

CALLAHAN-GOLD FAMILY HAS LAST LAUGH
Graduate forward and Manhattan native Ben Callahan-Gold has quickly made his impact at Binghamton after playing the previous four years at Division III power Trinity. An added bonus has been the addition of Ben's famous mother, Judy Gold, who is a stand-up comedian, actor, podcaster and television writer. She won two Daytime Emmy Awards for her work as a writer and producer on The Rosie O'Donnell Show. Judy hosts the podcast "It's Judy's Show with Judy Gold." Gold's stand-up specials have aired on Comedy Central, LOGO, and HBO and she has made appearances on The Tonight Show and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and has been a guest on The View, The Today Show, The Drew Barrymore Show, and a free-speech advocate on MSNBC, CNN and NewsNation. 

SHOOT 45%, GET TO 70 POINTS ... WIN
This year, when the Bearcats reach 70 points on offense, they are 7-0 and when they don't, they are 1-7. The trend is a continuation from last season, when 70 became a line of demarcation. Last season when BU held its opponent under 70 (in regulation), it was 12-2. When opponents reached the 70-point mark, BU was 3-12. When the Bearcats scored 70 or more points (in regulation), they were 10-4. Under 70 they were 5-10. This season, when the Bearcats shoot 45% or higher, they are 8-1. When shooting below that threshold, they are 0-6.  

BALANCED SCORING FOR BEARCATS
The Bearcats have FOUR players averaging double-digit points (last year they finished with three) — tied for the most of any team in the America East. They have also had six different players lead the team in single-game scoring. Those four players in double figures (Chenery, Walker, Callahan-Gold, Benson) are shooting a combined 52%, while the rest of the team is converting 40%.   

CALLAHAN-GOLD DIALED IN FROM BEYOND THE ARC
Binghamton, which averaged just five 3-pointers last season (8th in AE), focused on long-range firepower in its recruiting class. Graduate forward Ben Callahan-Gold made 88 3-pointers for Trinity last season, helping the D3 power reach the NCAA semifinals. Through 14 games, he ranks second in the America East with 2.7 "3s" a game (on 43% accuracy, 4th in AE). Callahan-Gold has had eight games with three or more 3-pointers and he ranks 35th in the NCAA in made 3s (40). With Callahan-Gold leading the way, Binghamton is also averaging 7.8 3-pointers per game, which ranks third in the conference. After shooting 31% from beyond the arc last season, the Bearcats are at 38% this season.  

BEARCATS ON SNY THIS SEASON
In addition to all home games (and away America East games) being broadcast on ESPN+ this season, Binghamton basketball will have five games televised on SportsNet New York (SNY). The men can be seen on SNY on Jan. 4 (home vs. UMBC), Feb. 8 (home vs Bryant) and March 4 (home vs. NJIT). The Bearcat women's team will appear on Nov. 17 (home vs. Pitt) and Dec. 18 (home vs. Syracuse). SNY is an Emmy Award winning, multiplatform regional sports network serving approximately seven million homes in the New York Metropolitan area and nine million homes across the country through unparalleled coverage of the New York Mets, Jets and all things New York sports. SNY is also available nationwide on satellite via DirecTV.

ON THE RISE
Binghamton has increased its win total in each of the last three seasons, going from 12 wins (2021-22) to 13 (2022-23) to 15 (2023-24). 

MARQUEE HOME FACILITY, CROWDS
Binghamton continues to be the envy of the America East Conference for its home facility (Events Center) and attendance figures. The Bearcats drew 2,230 per game last season, second-only to conference champion Vermont (2,361). Binghamton's average draw was nearly 1,000 more than the America East average and was higher than 15 Division I conferences across the country. The Bearcats led the America East in attendance 10 seasons between 2003 and 2014 and averaged a high of 3,894 during the team's NCAA run in 2008-09.  

THE BEARCATS IN THE AMERICA EAST
Binghamton begins its 24th season of membership in the America East this season. The Bearcats are 142-230 all-time (38%) 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 8-8 in 2022-23 (T-4th) to record its best conference win percentage in 13 years. Last year the Bearcats went 7-9 to again tie for fourth. 

HEAD COACH LEVEL SANDERS' PEDIGREE
Head Coach Levell Sanders starred at Seton Hall in the late 1990s, where he squared off against BIG EAST (and NBA legends) Allen Iverson (Georgetown), Ray Allen (UConn), Rip Hamilton (UConn), Kerry Kittles (Villanova) and Lawrence Moten (Syracuse). Sanders scored 1,399 career points at Seton Hall before embarking on a successful 15-year professional career overseas. With the Pirates, Sanders averaged 12.4 points in 113 games and was named second team All-BIG EAST in 1998. A BIG EAST academic all-star, he graduated in 1998 with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. His pro basketball accolades include being named the All-Czech Republic League Guard of the Year in 2007 as well as being a two-time first team all-star. He ranks 11th on the all-time leading scorer list in the Czech Republic.

BEARCATS SIGN TWO HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS
Binghamton will welcome two scholastic standouts to the program next fall with the signing of 6-foot-5 guard Jake Blackburn (Southborough, Mass./Worcester Academy Prep) and 6-foot-7 guard Jayden Kelsey (Norristown, Pa./Westtown School).   

ALUMS IN THE PRO RANKS OVERSEAS
Binghamton has several recent graduates playing professionally overseas. Armon Harried '24 is in his first season with Komarno in Slovakia. Fellow 2023-24 Bearcat Symir Torrence '24 plays for LoKoKo in Finland. Former BU leading scorer Jacob Falko '23 plays for IR in Iceland, along with former Bearcat teammate and Iceland native Hakon Hjalmarsson '22. Former Bearcat 1K scorer Willie Rodriguez '18 begins his seventh year of pro ball and is with Caribbean Storm in Colombia. Former teammates Christian Hinckson '24 (BG Hessing in German ProB League) and Miles Gibson '24 (Perth Redbacks in Australian NBL One) are also playing overseas.  

ABOUT UMBC
•    Closed non-conference play with 96-93 2OT road win at American last Sunday
•    Rank second in AE in scoring with 83+ points per game
•    Average nearly 10 3-pointers per game (on AE-best 39% accuracy)
•    Return three starters from 11-21 team that went 6-10 in AE (7th)
•    One key loss was first team all-conference guard Dion Brown, who averaged 19.0 ppg. (3rd in AE) and 7.8 rebs (6th) before transferring to Boston College this season
•    Senior guard Marcus Banks was a Preseason All-Conference selection after hitting 85 3-pointers and making the 3rd team last year
•    Took ACC member Georgia Tech to closing minutes in 91-82 loss on Dec. 18; trimmed 22-point deficit to six with six minutes left
•    Played similar blend as Bearcats in terms of lopsided results; nearly half non-conference games (7) decided by 20 or more points
  
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. UMBC
•    On the strength of five wins in the last seven meetings, UMBC leads the series 25-21
•    Binghamton has won two of the last three however
•    Teams split season series last year with each team winning on road
•    In Vestal, Binghamton leads 11-10 but UMBC has won last two
•    Last 11 meetings have been decided by average of 5.6 points
•    Three of last four have been decided by one possession (<3>
•    Last Feb. 15 at Events Center, UMBC hit 12 three-pointers, built a double-digit cushion and held off BU 89-78. The Retrievers shot 56 percent in the second half to keep their 11-point halftime margin. 
•    Three weeks later in Baltimore, the Bearcats stormed back from a 13-point second half deficit and pulled out a 72-71 win in the regular-season finale. The Bearcats closed the game with a 22-11 run and sealed the win when a Retrievers' free throw was off the mark with 0.8 left. Nehemiah Benson scored 12 of his team-high 16 points in the pivotal second half.