Kyle Cieplicki and the Events Center have a long history together.

It was the site of the opening rounds of the America East tournament during Cieplicki’s freshman season, when his Vermont Catamounts rolled through the conference and upset Syracuse in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

It was also where, in the next season, Cieplicki scored a then-career high 17 points in the AE semifinals, to lead No. 6 Vermont to a sixth straight America East Championship game.

In both of those tournaments, Cieplicki’s squads knocked off the host Binghamton Bearcats. Now, in Cieplicki’s final tournament, they’ll once again be looking to do just that.

“I love playing at Binghamton,” Cieplicki says. “Since I’ve been here, they’ve always had good teams and the games have been battles. Coming in on the road, it’s something you enjoy.”

And while Cieplicki may be a public enemy to the BU Zoo, the Vermont native says he has nothing but love for Binghamton fans.

“You love playing in front of an enthusiastic crowd,” Cieplicki says. “Binghamton’s probably got the best student section in the entire conference. You love playing in hostile environments, so it’s nice to come in and play well.”

Cieplicki’s also happy that the tournament is held in Vestal.

“From a player’s standpoint the crowds have been better in Binghamton than in Boston last year,” he says. “Like I said, I just like playing at Binghamton. I like the overall facility.”

With the Catamounts sitting in the fifth seed, Cieplicki will look to get back to the promised land — the NCAA tournament — for the first time since his freshman campaign.

“I was a little spoiled being on a great team right away,” Cieplicki says. “But being there really drove me to get better and get right back there like I did. You take for granted how easy it was freshman year.”

Vermont’s Glue Guy

When Vermont beat Binghamton at the Events Center earlier this season, Kevin Broadus bestowed one of his greatest compliments to Cieplicki.

“Cieplicki, that’s their glue guy,” Broadus said.

The glue guy is the one who does the things you can’t see in the stat sheet. The guys who hustle and set picks, who grab garbage rebounds — a role Cieplicki says he relishes. “I’m not extremely gifted and talented as an athlete, so I try to do the little things like hustle plays and make open shots.”

He has always had star players whose stats overshadow him, from Taylor Coppenrath and T.J. Sorrentine in 2005, to Mike Trimboli and Marqus Blakely today, but Cieplicki’s impact is invaluable to his team. Ask any Binghamton fan.

“He is willing to do whatever it takes for the win and doesn’t ask for any of the credit,” says Vermont head coach Mike Lonergan.

“I’m never going to dominate a game,” Cieplicki adds. “I just try to make the right play and make up for my athletic deficiencies.”

A hometown hero

Cieplicki is one of two Vermont natives on the Catmounts, something he takes great pride in. He’s been around the program his whole life, and was a ball boy for the team growing up.

“I always wanted to go to UVM,” he says. “To be part of it during some of its best years have been really exciting for me.”

Cieplicki has seen change in the program lately, saying that since the team became competitive during the end of former coach Tom Brennan’s era, the crowds have gotten bigger.

“Growing up and understanding that these fans weren’t there, and to be a part of it now, is amazing,” he says.

After the Catamounts upset the Orange, Cieplicki and the team were given a parade down Church Street in Burlington, one of the busiest streets in town. Despite pouring rain, several thousand people lined the streets to cheer for the team, and that’s when he knew the team had ascended to real relevance.

“You really felt like the toast of the town,” Cieplicki says.

The Dane Problem

For the past two seasons, the Albany Great Danes have squashed Cieplicki’s parade hopes.

The Great Danes were expected to win in Cieplicki’s sophomore year, but last year, when the Catamounts lost just one regular season game, it really stung.

“It’s been pretty tough — especially last year,” he says. “I think that team was a much better team than my sophomore year, and to lose at home was pretty disappointing. You just got to move on from it and try to do better this year.”

While a rivalry seems to be brewing between Albany and Binghamton, don’t expect any fights if Vermont and Albany play this season, regardless of past outcomes.

“I think there’s a respect between the two programs,” Cieplicki said. “We won some titles before they did, they’ve beaten us the past few years. We have a bunch of respect for them.”

In his final tournament, Cieplicki hopes to draw upon the experiences he’s had in past tournaments to get him back to the NCAA’s.

The fact that they rallied at the Events Center as a No. 6 seed two years ago is not lost on him.

“One of our assistant coaches was talking to me about this the other day,” Cieplicki says. “We were 13-17 and lost a ton of close games. But what it comes down to is the two days in March and if you can play your best basketball then.”

Kyle Cieplicki sounds off on the toughest place to play in the America East: Binghamton and Albany — the New York schools always have great crowds and I’d say it’s a tie.

Player whose game you respect the most: Mike Gordon, Binghamton; Brian Lillis, Albany: Guys who are in my grade who I’ve played against, really tough guys and good competitors. They’re well-rounded players. I really respect them. And I’ve been really impressed with Jay Greene this year. I don’t want to forget anybody though.