• Press & Sun Bulletin: “BU (12-17, 7-7 America East) is currently in fifth place in the America East and can clinch the fifth seed in next week’s conference tournament with a victory over the Hawks.  With a loss, there is the possibility of BU falling all the way to the seventh seed. Conference seeding, however, matters little to  Macon right now.  ‘I just want us to get better each game,’ Macon said. ‘This has nothing to do with the conference tournament. We not going into the conference tournament until it starts. I don’t want to jump the gun.’  The positives that BU displayed in its decisive victory over UMBC — good ball movement, rebounding proficiency — were severely lacking during its four-game losing streak, which occurred exclusively on the road and included losses by 42 points at Boston University and by 20 points at Stony Brook.”
• WICZ (Video): “If Binghamton University’s Student Association has their way, Basketball Coach Kevin Broadus will no longer coach at BU.  The association’s president says after reading about Broadus’ coaching conduct in Judge Kaye’s report, students no longer want him working at the university.  Therefore, the S.A. is formally calling for his immediate resignation as head coach.”

• Press & Sun Bulletin: “This could be the day the public will get some answers about what happened inside Binghamton University’s athletics program.  Top officials in the state university system are scheduled to reveal the findings of a four-month investigation into troubles that got six men’s basketball players kicked off the team and their coach suspended, prompted claims that a female employee was sexually harassed, and cost the athletics director his job.  SUNY’s executive committee will meet this morning to discuss Judge Judith Kaye’s probe of the program, and likely will release the report later in the day, said SUNY spokesman David Henahan. He said SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher and Trustees Chairman Carl Hayden are scheduled to answer questions in a 2 p.m. conference call with reporters.  The report is expected to contain recommendations for BU, though details weren’t available Wednesday night.”

• Press & Sun Bulletin: “It was a different story Saturday, when the Bearcats allowed a game-closing 11-0 run in a 61-49 loss at Maine. BU hopes to avoid a repeat when it visits University of New Hampshire in an America East Conference contest at 7 p.m. Thursday. The two teams met 12 days ago at the Events Center in a game won by BU, 76-73, in overtime. In that Jan. 30 game, Greer Wright scored 29 points and Dylan Talley converted a three-point play with 21 seconds left in overtime for the Bearcats (11-14, 6-4 America East). It was one of three games during BU’s four-game winning streak that the Bearcats won by six points or fewer. With the exception of its 80-63 victory at University of Maryland, Baltimore County on Jan. 27, all of BU’s other America East games have been decided by single digits. Wright hopes to continue his torrid play since the start of BU’s America East schedule. The junior transfer from City College of San Francisco is averaging 19.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists in America East play. Those represent increases from his season-long averages of 15.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.”

While the State of the Union is a little shaky, the State of the Bearcats is actually pretty strong.  With Dylan Talley back from injury and providing a legit second scoring option, Greer Wright has become a legit First-Team All-America East type of player.  Last night, the Bearcats had a very convincing victory over UMBC  80-63.  Just like the Vermont game, Bearcats were able to win because they were able to get to the free-throw line (and make them!)

• Press & Sun Bulletin: “‘We just want to win one game at a time, and not try to jump the gun,’ Macon said. ‘Our conference has a lot of parity, so I just want us to play at a high level, play to our strengths and just worry about what we can do.’  Among the pleasing things on the stat sheet for Macon was his team’s 21-for-25 performance from the free-throw line. BU entered Wednesday’s game eighth out of nine teams in the America East Conference in free-throw shooting percentage (.642). Believe me, I looked at that,’ Macon said of his team’s free-throw numbers. ‘I think that was great. We’ve been working very hard at that, and we finally hit free throws. They can  ‘win or lose games for you.’  BU also enjoyed a 39-27 advantage on the boards. Jabbi’s 13 rebounds were a career-high and the junior transfer from SUNY-Oswego is averaging nine rebounds over his last seven games.”
• AP: “Dylan Talley scored 22 points to lead four Binghamton players in double figures as the Bearcats defeated Maryland-Baltimore County 80-63 on Wednesday night.  Binghamton (9-13, 4-3 America East Conference), which entered the game averaging 59.0 points per game, had a season-high point total in winning its second straight game. The Bearcats also snapped a five-game losing streak to the Retrievers in Baltimore while sending UMBC (1-20, 0-8) to its 11th loss in a row.”

All the metrics point towards a Binghamton victory.  UMBC is in the cellar- the place that everyone thought that we would be at this point in the season.  Just like how everyone looked passed us, we can’t look pass UMBC.  A win is a win no matter who you play.  Playing at home with the disrespect card, should make UMBC a dangerous opponent.   An opponent that has nothing to lose.

• Press & Sun Bulletin: “When the Bearcats meet University of Maryland-Baltimore County in an America East Conference contest at 7 Wednesday at RAC Arena, a key concern will be avoiding taking the Retrievers lightly.  BU (8-13, 3-3 America East) was picked to finish last in the conference’s preseason coaches poll, yet among its victories this season are home victories over Vermont and Stony Brook.  Meanwhile, UMBC is in the midst of a dreadful 1-19 season, which includes an 0-7 mark in conference play that has the Retrievers in last place in the America East.  ‘Of course we’ve talked about not overlooking UMBC; we’re not overlooking any team,’ BU interim coach Mark Macon said. ‘We’re just looking to play with a high level of intensity and just trying to come in not start off slow.  I think UMBC is a good team; I truly do as a coach. We can’t underestimate anybody in our conference.’”

• America Least has some great coverage of Midnight Madness events around the league.  Be sure to check out the UMBC video featuring everyone’s favorite twirler Staci Kowalewski and their dunk contest.

• Ball of Rubber thinks that UMBC is being punished for Binghamton’s transgressions.  UMBC also won an AE Title with transfers, but without sexual harassment, sexual assault, theft, credit card fraud, recruiting from diploma-mills, drug possession(s) or dealing crack-cocaine.  UMBC is definitely not a problem the league should be dealing with.
• Chauncey Gilliam’s dad has a problem with the America Least blog.  JoMo, I don’t know what you apologized for because this guy doesn’t have a clue.  Mr. Gilliam, I think I can speak for all America East fans when we say that Chauncey is not a thug and we are very excited to see him in America East league play in January.  Anyone that compares Chauncey to the Binghamton castoffs is just plain ignorance. Edited the linked because the apology was taken down.
• How many Bearcats can you name in this year’s team photo?  I got 3 and a half.