VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball looks to continue its strong play at home when the Bearcats (11-11, 3-6 America East) host Bryant (15-9, 7-2 AE) Saturday afternoon at the Events Center. Tip is at 2 p.m. at Dr. Bai Lee Court.

BU has won three of its last four and is 8-2 at home this season. 

On Thursday, the Bearcats toppled longtime SUNY rival UAlbany 69-57 to move into a tie for sixth place in the America East standings. Senior guard Tymu Chenery tallied a game-high 18 points and both Armon Harried and Dan Petcash recorded double-doubles.  

ABOUT BRYANT

• Coming off 85-66 win over UNH on Thursday
• In that game, Bryant shot 52% and stretched a 12-point halftime lead with 45 second-half points
• Have alternated wins and losses in their last five (W-L-W-L-W)
• Currently sit in tie for second place, one game behind Vermont
• Team is scoring AE-best 81 ppg in AE play but giving up 73 ppg.
• Picked to finish third in AE Preseason Coaches' Poll — one spot ahead of the Bearcats
• Went 8-7 in non-conf., with 61-52 win over #10 Florida Atlantic
• Led by pair of reigning all-conference players Sherif Gross-Bullock and Earl Timberlake
• Return three starters from 17-13 team that went 8-8 in AE and drew No. 6 seed (lost at No. 3 UNH in quarters)
• Phil Martelli, Jr., three-year associate head coach, was named head coach on Nov. 15, taking over for Jared Grasso  

 
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. BRYANT

• Bryant leads 5-2
• In BU's conference opener on Jan. 11 in Smithfield, Bryant used a 33-9 first-half run to build a 19-point halftime cushion and the Bulldogs held off hard-charging BU 77-69 at Chace Athletic Center. Down as many as 24 points in the second half, BU used a 20-7 run to get back in the game. Binghamton then scored 15 points in a frantic final two minutes to pull within six points before coming up just short. Bryant made just enough free throws down the stretch  (3-of-6 in final 38 secs) and BU was hurt by its own struggles at the charity stripe in the game (18-of-29 FT).
• Teams split the season series last year — their first as America East opponents — with Bryant winning 82-78 in Rhode Island and BU countering one month later with an 84-67 home win
• Teams played twice as D2 members during 2000-01 season with Bryant winning both games
• Home team has won six of the seven all-time meetings and each of the last five head-to-head
• Bearcats are 2-1 in Vestal

HARRIED TAKES POINT, STEERS BU PAST UALBANY
With an injury to graduate point guard Symir Torrence, graduate forward Armon Harried moved to the point and produced 11 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in BU's 69-57 win over UAlbany on Thursday. He played the full 40 minutes for the second time in the last four games and notched his second double-double of the season and fourth of his career.

PASSING HALFWAY POINT OF CONFERENCE SLATE
The Vermont game last Saturday signified the official halfway point of the conference season and BU was in a two-way tie for seventh place in the standings (2-6). While not where the Bearcats had hoped to be, the record is skewed slightly since BU has played conference leader Vermont twice before it even played UMBC (2-7) once. The win over Albany on Thursday moved BU up a notch into a tie for sixth place. Binghamton now plays four of its final seven league games at home, where it is 8-2 this season.  

DEFENSE DIALED IN LAST FOUR GAMES
BU has held each of its last four opponents (Maine-NJIT-Vermont-UAlbany) to 66 points or less for an average of 58.8. The team is 3-1 in those games. In the preceding five games, the Bearcats gave up an average of 83 points. The difference is nearly 24 points per game.

DONE WITH VERMONT ... FOR NOW
Binghamton finished up its season series with Vermont last Saturday, losing 62-49. It was BU's 21st consecutive loss to the formidable Catamounts, who have now beaten the Bearcats 15 straight years in Burlington. While the season series is complete, there is still a chance the teams could meet in the postseason, as has been the case in each of the last two years. In back-to-back seasons, BU has lost to Vermont in the America East semifinals at Patrick Gym. No mas.  

SHORTENED UP ROTATION
The Bearcats have used just seven players in each of the last two games, equaling their lowest number of the season. In the last five games, BU (3-2) has used either seven or eight players only. In the first four conference games, BU used at least nine in each game.

CHENERY RETURNS TO LINEUP
Senior guard and leading scorer Tymu Chenery returned to the starting lineup after a three-game injury and in his first start back on Thursday, he tallied a game-high 18 points in 38 minutes against Albany. He has been having his finest collegiate season, averaging 14.6 points on 51% shooting. In his last 14 games, Chenery is averaging 16.2 points with 12 double-digit games, including eight straight. He has been BU's top scorer eight times and is logging 29 minutes a game. Chenery is shooting 53% in conference play.  

HARRIED STEPPING UP PRODUCTION IN AE PLAY
Graduate forward Armon Harried has jumped his stats during America East play. In the nine conference games, Harried is averaging 12.7 points and 8.2 rebounds (8th in AE). His scoring average is four points higher than it was during non-conference play (8.7) and his rebound average is nearly double his non-conference mark (4.5).  

TORRENCE LEADS AMERICA EAST, SITS IN 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 nine in back-to-back games, he now ranks fourth in the country (7.3/game). He has produced eight or more assists nine times this season. That 7.3 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 (6.0, 9th in AE) and is fifth in scoring (8.6). He is the only player in the country averaging 8-6-6 (pts-rebs-assts).

BU ONE OF BEST AMERICA EAST TEAMS SCORING INSIDE ARC
Despite its struggles from 3-point range (29%, last in AE), BU ranks third in the America East in overall field goal percentage (46%) and also is third in percentage inside the arc. The Bearcats are shooting 53% inside the arc, trailing only conference leader Vermont (57%) and second-place UMass Lowell (56%). Against UAlbany on Thursday, BU was 26-for-43 inside the arc (60%).

CHENERY NEXT UP FOR 1K POINTS
With Armon Harried reaching the 1,000-point plateau in November, focus now turns to teammate Tymu Chenery (919 pts., 81 points away) in his quest for 1K. If Chenery keeps up his season scoring average, he would reach 1K in early March. He still has one more season of NCAA eligibility remaining.    

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 9, Walker 2, Ashe 2, Balogun 3, Benson 2, Harried 2, Walsh). Seven different players have been the top rebounder.  

HOME VS. AWAY DISCREPANCY SIGNIFICANT
Binghamton has experienced a noted difference in home vs. away results and statistics. At home, BU is 8-2 (6-2 vs. D1s) and is averaging 74 points (+2.2) on 48% shooting (vs. D1s). On the road, BU is 3-9 and is scoring just 64 points and allowing nearly 76 points (-11.7).  

BEARCATS STRONG ON GLASS
Binghamton is second in the AE in both rebounds (38.7) and rebound margin (+5.1) and ranks 24th in the nation in defensive rebounds (28.1/game) and 56th in the nation in total rebs (38.7).  

70 REMAINS TIPPING POINT
When BU holds its opponent under 70 (in regulation), it's 10-2. When opponents reach the 70-point mark, BU is 1-8. When the Bearcats score 70 or more points (in regulation), they are 8-2. Under 70 they are 3-9.