For a team that relies so much on individual game strategies and preparing so uniquely for every contest, a recent call from Mother Nature may prove to be the biggest challenge the Bearcats face before the conference tournament.

After its drubbing of Maine on Sunday, the Binghamton men’s basketball team started preparing for what was supposed to be a Thursday night road game against New Hampshire.

But after the snowstorm that plowed through the Northeast, that game was postponed and Binghamton’s next match will now be against the Vermont Catamounts (20-6. 12-1 AE) at Patrick Gymnasium, Sunday at 3 p.m.

Looking to use the victory over the Black Bears as motivation to step up their level of play for the remainder of America East competition, the Bearcats (11-14, 4-9 AE) will take on a Vermont team that beat Binghamton in their previous meeting this season, 65-61 in a nail biter at the Events Center.

Vermont won the game shooting 50 percent from floor, winning the rebounding battle and dominating the Bearcats in the paint with 28 points from under the basket.

The Catamounts also won despite a poor game from sophomore point guard Mike Trimboli and being forced to play without freshman star Joe Trapani, who was leading Vermont in scoring at the time. Trapani had sustained a fractured left foot in the Catamounts’ previous game, a loss to Maine, which remains Vermont’s only conference loss of the season.

Binghamton’s season has been marred by late collapses and a failure to use big wins to catapult it to winning streaks. But the Bearcats have kept games close, and if they can string some wins together they could prove to be very dangerous come tournament time in Boston, which is quickly approaching.

In the fight for seeding in the tournament, the Bearcats now sit alone in eighth place in the conference, one game behind New Hampshire and Hartford, who, at 5-8, are one game ahead of BU.

Binghamton has been led of late by freshman big man Lazar Trifunovic, who recorded his first career double-double last game with 15 points and 11 rebounds. He has averaged 17 points over his last three games, as his baby hook has begun to fall more consistently, forcing defenses to double team him down low and allowing him to kick the ball back out for open shots.

Junior Mike Gordon has also continued his stellar play, despite being overlooked amid the Bearcats’ struggles; he had 18 points and five steals in the rout of Maine.

And after putting up 17 points against the Catamounts last time, junior Richard Forbes spent much of the last month looking for his shooting touch, which dwindled along with his playing time; something that had already started to decrease because of his defensive struggles. But Forbes came back strong against Maine on Sunday, pouring in 18 points on 7-of-16 shooting, and has perhaps regained his early-season form.

The Catamounts are coming off a win against Maine on Wednesday, a game in which they had five players in double figures. Trapani also saw limited minutes ‘ his first action since injuring his foot ‘ and is expected to see more minutes against the Bearcats.