VESTAL, N.Y. – Binghamton men’s basketball opens a light month of December when the Bearcats (4-4) travel to Easton, Mass. to face Stonehill (1-7) Saturday afternoon. The teams tip at 2 p.m. at Merkert Gym and the game will be shown on NEC Front Row. 

The Bearcats have alternated wins and losses in their last four games and are coming off a lopsided loss at three-time Patriot League champion Colgate on Wednesday. The matchup against Stonehill will be BU’s first at Merkert Gym and marks the second of three games against members of the NEC (Sacred Heart, Le Moyne). 

Senior guard Tymu Chenery leads the team in scoring at 12.9 ppg. Graduate guards Dan Petcash (9.8 ppg.) and Symir Torrence (9.3 ppg.) are next. Torrence also leads the team in assists (6.0/game) and rebounding (5.6/game). 

The Bearcats have five non-conference games left before beginning America East play once the calendar turns to 2024.   

About Stonehill

• NCAA Division I “newbie” playing second season after elevating from Division II
• Coming off 80-74 loss to fellow America East team UMass Lowell on Wednesday
• In that game, Lowell scored the last 10 points to rally as Stonehill misfired on its final seven shots
• Return two starters from team that went 10-6 in Northeast Conference debut last winter (14-17 overall)
• Six-foot-8 graduate forward Max Zegarowski is a Preseason All-NEC after hitting 70 three-pointers on 42% accuracy a year ago
• Picked to finish sixth of nine in NEC this season
• Have played tough schedule that included #6 UConn, #17 Kentucky and A-10 teams St. Joseph’s and George Washington
• Beat Army 57-44 on Nov. 9 for lone win
• Head Coach Chris Kraus was NEC Coach of Year after leading team to second place regular season finish

All-Time Series vs. Stonehill

• Series is tied 1-1
• Teams played as Division II members in Dec. 2000 and BU prevailed 59-51 at St. Rose Capital Key Classic in Albany
• Playing for first time in 22 years last season, Stonehill posted a 69-66 win at the Events Center on Dec. 3, thanks to a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer
• In the game, BU clawed back to tie the game in the final five seconds. Senior guard Jacob Falko (15 pts.) drove the lane and converted a tough layup with 4.8 seconds left to tie the game at 66-66. The Skyhawks inbounded and appeared content to run out the clock in the backcourt before suddenly firing two passes up the sideline that resulted in a three from Josh Mack as the horn sounded.
• The Bearcats had an uphill climb from the start after trailing 17-6
• With the earlier loss at Sacred Heart, BU is 20-18 all-time vs. NEC

Patriot League kingpins too much for BU
The Bearcats ran into a buzzsaw Wednesday night as three-time reigning Patriot League champ Colgate shot 52% and used a 27-3 run midway through the first half to pull away. Binghamton didn’t have a duoble-digit scorer for the first time in three years and 3-for-17 shooting from 3-point range wiped out any comeback attempt.

All  Even
Binghamton sits at .500 (4-4) and has alternated wins and losses in its last four games. The Bearcats are scoring 71 points per game and are giving up 71 points. In eight games, BU has scored one more point than its opposition (569-568).

Torrence leads America East, ranks 9th in NCAA in assists
Graduate guard Symir Torrence is quickly adding up his assist total to start 2023-24. He has 48 assists in seven games (6.0/game), which leads the America East and ranks ninth in the country. He has produced five or more assists every game this season and he also leads BU in rebounding (5.6). Torrence is shooting 52% from the floor (47% from 3-pt.). Sam Sessoms holds the BU Division I record for season assist average (4.8 in 2019-20).

Benson raising his production
Senior forward Nehemiah Benson has become a reliable contributor in the rotation of late. He has started the last two games and in his last three, is averaging 9.3 points and 4.3 boards in 21 min./game. He went for 10 points (5-for-7 FG) at Sacred Heart and backed that up with 10 points (3-of-4) against Army and eight at Colgate. For the season, Benson is averaging 7.8 points on 61% shooting.