BU Men’s basketball plays at Monmouth Saturday night

VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton men’s basketball plays its third of four straight road games when the Bearcats (2-7) face Monmouth (4-6) Saturday night in West Long Branch, N.J.

The Bearcats gained a measure of confidence after putting 65 points on the board in a 28-point loss to now-No. 2 Syracuse on Saturday. Binghamton held an early 11-3 lead and played the Orange near-even (35-39) over the final 20 minutes. Sophomore guard Jordan Reed led all scorers with a season-high 26 points. He went 6-for-10 from the field and 13-of-14 from the line, raising his season free throw percentage to 75%. Reed entered the game as one of only two “3” men in the entire country to average a double-double and he pulled down seven boards against the size-advantaged hosts.

Binghamton grabbed 13 offensive rebounds against the Orange and the margin on the glass was dead-even in the second half.

Reed was named both the America East co-Player of the Week and Binghamton University Athlete of the Week. He is averaging 16.6 points and 9.8 rebounds and has the highest rebound average in the country among players under 6-foot-6. Reed ranks second in the America East in scoring and is third in rebounding. 

Also receiving conference honors this week was freshman guard Marlon Beck II, who was named Rookie of the Week after averaging 16.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in two games. Beck tallied 14 points in 39 hard minutes against Syracuse.

Beck (13.3 ppg.) ranks second among America East freshmen in scoring and is third overall in three-pointers per game (2.3). Freshman forward Nick Madray, who scored 11 points at Syracuse, is third among freshman scorers (12.2 ppg.) and third overall in three-point field goal percentage (47%). 
 
The Bearcats have four more games before the America East slate begins. After Saturday, the team is idle for nine days before playing at Buffalo on Dec. 23. 

Monmouth Update
The Hawks are coming off a 73-58 road win at St. Francis Brooklyn on Tuesday. The Binghamton game begins a five-game homestand for Monmouth, which is coached by Binghamton native and former North Carolina standout King Rice.

In the game in Brooklyn Heights, four Monmouth players reached double-figures, including Towson transfer Deon Jones and junior backcourt mate Andrew Nicholas, who combined for 39 points and 15 rebounds. Freshman Justin Robinson contributed 10 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and three steals. Monmouth, which went 19-for-20 from the free throw line, also got a career-high 14 points from junior Khalil Brown.

Jones (18.6 ppg., 7.1 rpg.) and Nicholas (14.6 ppg.) – both 6-foot-6 guards - give Monmouth a sizable 1-2 punch from the perimeter. Robinson, a first-year point guard, is averaging 9.6 points and 4.1 assists. 

Monmouth’s other wins this season have come against Hofstra (88-84), Mississippi Valley State (81-79) and North Carolina A&T (76-61). The Hawks have played a tough non-conference schedule that resulted in losses to St. John’s, Seton Hall, Penn State and Penn.
The program returns two starters and six letterwinners from a 10-21 team of a year ago. Entering their first season in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) after years in the Northeast Conference, Monmouth was picked to finish last among 11 teams in the preseason poll. 
 
Series History
In the first meeting between the two schools last December at the Events Center, Monmouth turned 21 turnovers into 32 points and kept Binghamton at bay in a 77-65 win. The loss spoiled a terrific performance from Jordan Reed, who tallied game-highs of 26 points and 10 rebounds. Playing the second game in a three-day stretch, the Bearcats shot 42 percent and won the rebound battle but were undone by the Hawks’ pressure. Monmouth shot 52 percent for the game, including 56 percent in the second half. Reed hit 10-of-17 from the floor and 6-of-8 from the line. He added four steals and two assists in 33 minutes.