VESTAL, N.Y. – The Binghamton men's basketball team (4-14, 0-3 America East) are traveling up to the road to face UAlbany (5-12, 1-1 America East) at 6:30 p.m., Thursday at the Broadview Center.
 
ABOUT UALBANY
• Returned five lettermen but no starters from 17-16 team that went 8-8 in AE, good for fourth place. That team lost to eventual champion Bryant in the semifinals
• Welcome 11 newcomers
• Picked to finish tied for second in preseason poll – highest projection in eight years
• All-Rookie Team selection and preseason all-conference selection Amir Lindsey has taken up mantle as top scorer
• Start two players 6-foot-9 and taller
• Lone D-1 non-conference win was a convincing 71-55 road victory at former America East rival Stony Brook on Dec. 17
• Dropped tight games vs. Colgate (69-67) and Cornell (83-75)
• Began league play with 83-71 loss at UMass Lowell and followed with a convincing 71-46 home win over Bryant Saturday
 
 
ALL-TIME SERIES vs. UALBANY
• Albany leads the series, which dates back to 1948, 78-37
• Albany won two of three meetings last season, ending the Bearcats' season with a 69-66 win in the America East quarterfinals on March 8 at the Broadview Center after the teams split the season series
• All three games last season were decided by five or fewer points
• In that postseason game, fifth-seeded Binghamton nearly overcame a 14-point second-half deficit but a final Bearcats flurry came up short. Down 64-50 with 8+ minutes left, the Bearcats went on a 16-4 run to pull within two, 68-66, with 1:52 left. But with Binghamton looking for a tying bucket in the final 15 seconds, UAlbany stole the ball in the post and made one free throw for the final margin. A last-gasp Bearcats 3-point attempt was off the front iron with one second left. Senior forward Nehemiah Benson had a perfect shooting night in his final collegiate game, hitting 7-of-7 from the floor and 5-of-5 from the line for a team-high 19 points. Binghamton outshot UAlbany from the field and only committed six turnovers, but were outrebounded 42-31. UAlbany used 16 offensive boards to put up 12 more shots – a margin that ultimately decided the game.
• Since both schools joined the America East, Albany leads 29-19
• BU won 13 of the first 19 matchups as AE members (2002-10)
• Thanks to a 14-game win streak between 2001-17, UA has won 22 of last 28 head-to-head
• The road team has won seven of the last 13 games
• In Albany, the Great Danes own a commanding 36-12 lead, though Binghamton has won three of the last four regular-season meetings
• The teams have squared off at all three NCAA divisional levels and joined the America East in the same year (2001-02)
• The first meeting between the two schools was in 1948-49 (a 76-67 Binghamton win)
 
BEARCATS LOSE BACK-TO-BACK NAILBITERS
Binghamton has started league play with a pair of narrow setbacks, both of which weren't decided until the final minute. On Thursday in Burlington, the Bearcats played with the lead for much of the game and led by six with 3:44 remaining before Vermont prevailed 60-59. Two tough whistles in the final 20 seconds each went against Binghamton and decided the game. On Saturday at home, Bing was tied with UML with 1:37 left but the River Hawks made five free throws in the closing 35 seconds to win 73-68.
 
QUIGLEY LEADS AE IN ASSISTS, IS 6TH IN SCORING
Junior point guard Jeremiah Quigley continues to lead the America East in assists (6.4/game) and ranks sixth in scoring (13.9 ppg.). Quigley ranks 16th in the country in assists and has registered 6+ assists 10 times this season. In his last six games, Quigley is averaging 17.2 points and 7.7 assists. Former PG Symir Torrence averaged a school-record 7.2 assists in 2023-24 (5th in NCAA). 
 
LILLEY ADDED TO UNPRECEDENTED INJURY LIST
Already down an NCAA-leading four scholarship players with season-ending injuries, the Bearcats were dealt another big blow when senior leading scorer and rebounder Demetrius Lilley suffered an injury at Mercyhurst on Dec. 20. He entered the game ranked third in the country in double-doubles (8) and 13th in rebounds (10.3) and was ranked among the America East top-2 in both categories. He is out indefinitely.   
 
BEARCATS RANK NO. 1 IN NCAA IN POINTS VIA FREE THROWS
Led by junior guard Jeremiah Quigley (75 makes, 75%), Binghamton is getting to the free throw line and converting points. The Bearcats lead the entire nation in percentage of points from free throws with 27.8% of their points coming at the line. As a team, Bing leads the America East in free throw makes (320) and percentage (75%).
 
QUIGLEY JUST MISSES HISTORIC TRIPLE-DOUBLE
Junior point guard Jeremiah Quigley almost lifted the Bearcats to an improbable win at Patrick Gym with a near triple-double. The conference assists leader wound up with game-highs of 21 points and 10 rebounds and also handed out eight assists. Quigley's pair of free throws with 35 seconds left gave the Bearcats their final lead, 59-58. Had the game gone to overtime, he likely would've completed the feat. The only triple-double in Binghamton basketball history was achieved by Hall of Fame Division III player Chris Jackey (19 pts., 10 rebs., 10 assts vs. Plattsburgh on Feb. 10, 1990).
 
ROSTER BATTERED BY INJURIES
The Bearcats have been dealt a series of blows to what was once a deep roster in the summer. Of the 13 scholarship players, seven (54%) have been out with injuries for multiple games, five of whom are now done for the season. That number of season-ending injuries and percent of roster lost are believed to to be the highest of any D-I program in the country (NCAA list serve). Due to injury or illness, Bing players have combined to miss 93 games. The roll call of players with games missed is: Evan Ashe (all 18, season-ending injury), Jayden Lemond (all 18, season-ending injury), Sayerr Senghore (all 18, season-ending injury), Jayden Kelsey (16, season-ending injury), Jake Blackburn (10), Demetrius Lilley (7, season-ending injury), Wes Peterson (3), Bryson Wilson (1), Jeremiah Quigley (1) and Jackson Benigni (1).   
 
BALANCED SCORING
Binghamton had four players reach double digits against UMass Lowell. In 13 of the 18 games, the Bearcats have had at least three players in double figures. Five different players have had the team-high in points and for the season, six players are averaging 9.0+ points. Last season, the team had four players at 9.0 ppg. and above.
 
70 IS STILL MAGIC NUMBER
For the last two seasons, scoring 70 points and keeping opponents under 70 has been the key to Binghamton's success. When the Bearcats reach 70 points on offense (in regulation), they are 14-8 since 2024. When Bing falls short of 70, it is 5-23. When the Bearcats hold opponents under 70, they are 15-8. When opponents reach 70, Bing is 4-23.