Binghamton University’s men’s basketball team (17-8, 10-3 AE) currently sits in second place in the America East Conference. The Bearcats are only half a game behind conference leader Vermont (20-7, 11-3 AE), who has played one more conference game than Binghamton.

The Bearcats defeated Vermont both times the teams faced off this year and thus hold the tiebreaker should the two teams finish with the same record.

Should the Bearcats win their next three games, they will be the first seed in the America East tournament.

The team’s first roadblock to the conference title will come against the Hartford Hawks (6-21, 2-11 AE), who currently are in last place in the America East, tomorrow.

In the teams’ first meeting, Binghamton won, 66-59. After trailing for most of the game, the Bearcats went on a 32-9 run toward the middle of the second half to take control. The win broke a three-game losing streak for the Bearcats.

“We turned up our defense in the last 10 minutes and were fortunate to win,” Binghamton head coach Kevin Broadus said, according to a Binghamton University press release.

The green and white were led by guards D.J. Rivera, Emanuel “Tiki” Mayben and Malik Alvin, all of whom came off the bench that game. Broadus simply felt that the starters he named for that game earned their starting spots.

The Hawks were led by sharpshooting senior guard Jaret von Rosenberg and senior forward Michael Turner. Rosenberg hit four 3-pointers for 12 points, and Turner scored 11 points and pulled down nine boards.

Binghamton learned before that game that former guard Dwayne Jackson would be suspended indefinitely for violation of team policy. Jackson has not played since and it now appears that the senior will not suit up to play for the Bearcats again.

Now the Bearcats are riding a five-game winning streak, and are fresh off a one-point victory against former conference leader Boston University. The Hawks, on the other hand, are on a 10-game losing streak. Their last win came against Maine on Jan. 14.

The game can be seen live on NESN or heard on WNBF AM 1290 at 7 p.m.