For Binghamton head coach Tommy Dempsey, the Bearcats’ trip to Ann Arbor seems like a long time ago. The prices of gas, movie tickets and slices of pizza are all basically the same as they were on Dec. 11, but in college basketball, 17 days is an eternity — a time span where a team like Florida can see its stock fall drastically after losses to Arizona and Kansas State.
The Bearcats (2-9), who fell to then-No. 3 Michigan 67-39, are set to finally return to the court with an opportunity to improve their stock against Colgate on Friday night. Neither team has won in the past month.
For a Patriot League squad, the Raiders (3-9) have a unique combination of size and shooting ability. Leading scorer Murphy Burnatowski — if that name sounds familiar, it’s because he transferred from Maine — stands at 6-foot-7, and is averaging 16 points per game on 39.7 percent shooting from deep. Half of his field goal attempts have come from beyond the arc.
Pat Moore also poses a threat from deep. Though he’s just 7-of-29 from long range in Colgate’s past six games, Moore has shot 43.8 percent from three this year after knocking down 21 of his first 35 attempts. Dempsey has taken note of Moore’s ability to catch fire, saying that his team’s primary focus will be to limit three-point attempts by the 6-foot-5 Moore and Burnatowski.
“We’ve worked hard the last couple of days of pressing out on shooters and trying to make them put the ball on the floor,” he said. “So that’s what we’re focused on.”
Because of Hartford’s size advantage throughout the lineup — only two rotation players stand below 6-foot-4 — Dempsey said the Hawks will occasionally be able to launch shots even on solid closeouts. But the key to limiting any type of perimeter shot starts with containing 6-foot-4 point guard Luke Roh.
“We have to keep [Roh] out of the paint because he’s a very good penetrator, and his dribble penetration is what sets up a lot of their threes,” Dempsey said.
The Bearcats hope to receive a boost from a guard of their own. Rayner Moquete sprained his left ankle in the Nov. 3 exhibition game against Susquehanna, and though he has played in every game since then, the injury has limited his effectiveness. Dempsey said after the Michigan game that he hoped Moquete’s ankle would heal over the break. As of Thursday, the junior had progressed — not to 100 percent, as Dempsey had wished, but enough to produce more effectively.
“I don’t want to say he’s pain-free but he does look better,” Dempsey said. “I think some rest has helped. Hopefully he’ll be a step quicker when we get out there this weekend.”
Also on the injury front, Jabrille Williams did not practice yesterday because of back spasms, an issue that has plagued him throughout this season. Dempsey said the sophomore forward is day-to-day and could play against Colgate.
The Raiders have lost their last six games, five of which were played on the road, while Binghamton has dropped five straight. Each team could use a win, and the Bearcats hope the series’ recent trend of the road team emerging victorious continues — Binghamton won at Colgate in 2010 and Colgate won at Binghamton in 2011.
The Bearcats have not won away from the Events Center this year.
“We’ve had a lot of practices, so hopefully – yes, they need a win badly – but at the same time we’re very excited to get back on the court as well, so we should have good energy,” Dempsey said.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Cotterell Court, where Colgate is 2-1 this season.