Centers:

Binghamton: Health is a huge factor as to who starts, but in their regular season finale, 6-foot-11-inch Jaan Montgomery got the call. Montgomery is a wide body that can take up space inside while affecting drives an shots in the low post. If Montgomery can stay out of foul trouble, he could be a huge factor. Literally.

Vermont: The Catamounts also don’t have a pure center, but 6-foot-8-inch Evan Fjeld is likely to start, especially with the injury to Timothy McCrory. Fjeld started in 13 of his 18 games played this season and averaged 5.1 points per game and 3.1 rebounds.

Advantage: Vermont

Forwards:

Binghamton: Reggie Fuller has emerged as an important player for the Bearcats down low, averaging 6.7 points per game and 5.9 rebounds, and while Lazar Trifunovic is still dealing with back spasms, Fuller is going to have to be active around the basket.

Vermont: Marqus Blakely. Enough said.

Advantage: Vermont

Guards:

Binghamton: Mike Gordon and Richie Forbes can not only light it up from the outside, but get into the lane with great efficiency. And even if they struggle on the offensive end, Forbes has improved tenfold on defense and Gordon has the capability of totally shutting down the opponent’s best player.

Vermont: The last time these two teams met, Mike Trimboli and Kyle Ciepliki combined for 42 points. The two have always played well against Binghamton and once Ciepliki gets going, he is tough to slow down.

Advantage: Even

Bench:

Binghamton: Dwayne Jackson came off the bench against Maine a few weeks ago to put up 26 points and scored 19 points when he came off the bench against Vermont in the teams previous meeting. And Brandon Herbert, like Gordon in front of him, can put points on the board and distribute the ball.

Vermont: With Timothy McCrory injured, the Catamounts will have a shortened bench. But Vermont has guys on the pine like Nick Veir, who scored 11 points in 18 minutes off the bench in Vermont’s last game, and Colin McIntosh, who provides another tall body down low.

Advantage: Binghamton

Coaching:

Binghamton: First-year head coach Kevin Broadus has made an impact on the conference and on this Bearcats team. Preaching intensity and hard work from day one, his team has followed along and Broadus has proven he is an excellent in-game coach adjusting to the game and taking all advice from his assistants.

Vermont: Mike Lonergan has proved to be a winning coach leading his team to the conference finals the past two years since he took over at Vermont. He knows how to use the talent he has and while he is a friend of Broadus’, Lonergan is also an excellent in-game coach

Advantage: Even

Overall:

Binghamton: The Bearcats can never be counted out of a game, as shown in the teams’ last matchup when Vermont almost blew a 19-point second half lead. Broadus and his team won’t go down without a fight and with the home court advantage, a grind it out, low-scoring game will favor Binghamton.

Vermont: Vermont has always had the edge against Binghamton and has a Player of the Year candidate in Marqus Blakely. The Catamounts have experienced guards and know what it takes to get there, but they struggle against pressure defenses which is exactly what Binghamton brings to the table.

Advantage: Binghamton