VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men's basketball continues a three-games-in-six-days opening flurry when the Bearcats (0-1) welcome Division III in-state foe RIT (0-0) to the Events Center for a Wednesday night matchup. The teams meet for the first time in 44 years when they tip at 6:07 p.m. at Dr. Bai Lee Court.
The Bearcats lost their season opener at ACC member Syracuse 85-47 Monday night. Senior center
Demetrius Lilley earned a double-double in his Bearcats debut with 17 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Lilley added two blocks in 36 high-energy minutes. Junior forward
Zyier Beverly chipped in 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting. Junior point guard
Jeremiah Quigley contributed six points and four assists. The Orange raced out to a 24-6 lead and forced 15 first-half turnovers. It was the first meeting between the two programs in 12 years and featured the collegiate debut of NBA Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony's son, Kiyan, who tallied 15 points in 28 minutes.
After the RIT game, Binghamton will stay at home to host Niagara Saturday afternoon.
About RIT
- Division III program located 174 miles northwest in Rochester
- Season opener for Tigers, who will also play Division I Buffalo
- Return 10 lettermen from 7-18 team that was in playoff contention before dropping final six games of season (four by six or fewer points)
- Compete in 10-team Liberty League, featuring 2025 tournament champion Ithaca and regular season winner RPI
- Averaged 75 points on offense but gave up 80 per game
- Return leading scorer and rebounder in 6-foot-6 graduate forward Josiah Turner (12.8 ppg., 6.7 rpg.)
- Head coach Dominic Parker is in his second year following a run to NCAA quarterfinals as assistant at Christopher Newport in 2023-24
- Team has good size with nine players 6-foot-5 and above, capped by 7-foot junior Jalen Godette (transfer from Lycoming)
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. RIT
- This is the first matchup between the teams in 44 years
- RIT leads the all-time series 5-1
- Teams met just six times during Binghamton's 52 years as a Division III program
- First game was 1970 (RIT won 76-63) and teams played five times in next six years
- Most recent game was Nov. 21, 1981 in the Binghamton Tip-Off Classic at West Gym – a 61-53 RIT win
- Binghamton's lone win in the series was a 107-87 home win in 1972
