Ann Arbor, MI (Sports Network) - The third-ranked Michigan Wolverines will attempt to keep their undefeated season alive on Tuesday night when they play host to the Binghamton Bearcats at the Crisler Center.
Binghamton's season has been a struggle through the first month, as it has lost eight of 10 games, including all five away from home. The Bearcats appeared to be back on the winning track after consecutive wins over Saint Peter's (62-54) and Marywood (76-51) a few weeks back, but they have since lost four games in a row, most recently at Bryant on Saturday, 78-56.
Michigan started the season with high expectations with the No. 5 ranking in the polls, and after nine straight wins to open the year it has crept up even higher to No. 3. After defeating Arkansas on Saturday (80-67), the Wolverines moved to 9-0 for just the fourth time in school history and the first time since the 1988-89 campaign.
The Wolverines have claimed the only matchup in the all-time series by beating the Bearcats, 59-46, in November of 2004.
The main reason for Binghamton's struggles has been its inability to score on a consistent basis, as it shoots just 39.4 percent from the field for 60.5 ppg. It was much of the same in the loss to Bryant, as it shot 36.5 percent from the floor and got down by double-digits less than seven minutes into the game and could never recover. Jordan Reed paced the squad with 15 points and eight rebounds, and Jimmy Gray tallied 14 points, five boards, and four assists while shooting 4-of-10 from three-point range. Reed has been one of the few bright spots for the Bearcats on the season, as he's one of America East Conference's best players, tallying 18.3 ppg and 10.0 rpg. Gray (9.9 ppg) has been off the mark from the field (.330) and three-point range (.267), but he makes up for it somewhat by handing out 4.2 apg. Roland Brown (8.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg) is a steady presence in the frontcourt.
Michigan put together one of its best offensive performances of the in the 13- point win over Arkansas on Saturday, with all five starters scoring in double figures, paced by 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting from Glenn Robinson III. Trey Burke logged 16 points and seven assists, while Jordan Morgan recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Tim Hardaway Jr. (14 points) and Nik Stauskas (12 points) rounded out the balanced attack. The Wolverines have been outstanding on both ends of the floor this season, shooting greater than 51 percent from the field for 79.1 ppg, nearly 21 ppg more than their opponents. Burke has proven to be one of the nation's premiere point guards, averaging 16.9 ppg and 7.1 apg. Hardaway (15.4 ppg) is right on Burke's heels as the team's top scorer, and Stauskas (13.7 ppg) has drained 23 three- pointers at a fantastic 60.5 percent clip. Robinson puts up 12.2 ppg and a team-high 6.7 rpg, and all six of the Wolverines' top scorers shoot greater than 49 percent from the floor.
