Guards

Binghamton: Andre Heard led the team all season and Mike Gordon had a consistent year leading the offense, but it would help tremendously if the streaky Troy Hailey caught fire.

Maine: With Kevin Reed injured, Ernest Turner stepped up his play. Rashard Turner had a decent season and Jon Sheets is a threat from long distance. The Black Bears don’t have as much depth as the Bearcats.

Advantage: Binghamton

Forwards

Binghamton: Sebastian Hermenier has led this team all year and Duane James is a toss up coming back from his injury. Jordan Fithian should also be back in the lineup for the first time since Dec. 22.

Maine: Philippe Tchekane Bofia is solid, but has little if any support. Maine is a small team and even though Binghamton has questions at the forward position, the Black Bears will have trouble down low.

Advantage: Binghamton

Centers

Binghamton: The Bearcats lack a true center, and Jaan Montgomery is not the answer, at least not for now. Giovanni Olomo and Ian Milne have to continue to guard bigger players, which could eventually take its toll.

Maine: Olli Ahvenniemi may not have outstanding numbers, but at 6-foot-10, he is at least two inches taller than any Bearcat who sees significant playing time. Look for him to try drawing fouls on Binghamton’s forwards.

Advantage: Maine

Bench

Binghamton: Steve Proctor has found a spot in the rotation as of late and the depth Binghamton has is most evident on the defensive end, where it doesn’t miss a beat with several quick guards and athletic forwards.

Maine: The Black Bears have a logjam of guards, but beyond the core three, very few can make a difference. Essentially no big men come off the bench for Maine, which typically relies on a rotation of small and aggressive players.

Advantage: Binghamton

Coaches

Binghamton: Al Walker has taken criticism in past years for not bringing out the best in his talent. But this season, he made adjustments and has gotten the best out of nearly everyone on the roster.

Maine: Ted Woodward has done a good job in past years with few obstacles in his way. He’s a good coach, but this year the injury bug bit and he could never get the ball rolling.

Advantage: Binghamton

Overall

Binghamton: Binghamton has played well against Maine this year and has many favorable matchups. It may not be a blowout but with the home crowd behind them, expect the Bearcats to advance to the semis.

Maine: The Black Bears underachieved this year but some may say losing Kevin Reed is the reason. A team picked third in the conference should be able to find ways to win, even without its star.

Advantage: Binghamton