Chicago State 81, Binghamton 60

@Chicago State 81, Binghamton 60.

That's not a misprint.

Only my beloved Bearcats could make 2007 Chicago State look like the 1997 Chicago Bulls, getting out-rebounded 53-31. (!) Bigtime prospect, er, well, junior guard John Cantrell, who averaged a monstrous 3.5 rpg last season, picked up 13 boards, and 16 points, to go along with his five assists.

Starting small forward Reggie Fuller picked up the Bearcats' first bucket of the game --- to pull us to within 7 (9-2). He wouldn't have another shot for the rest of the afternoon, probably earning him a spot on the bench for Tuesday night's home game against CCSU.

Chicago State --- a team with a new coach and only two returning starters and four total returners from last year's 9-20 squad --- shot 53% in the second half to bury the Bearcats. They even put in their scrubs --- one of whom had a steal from our offensive guru Richie Forbes --- for the last minute of play.

Chicago State had 15 second-chance points. Binghamton - 0. This is a team whose 2007-08 schedule highlight is a contest with ... Northwestern.

The Bearcats now have given up 178 points in their two losses this season. Although it's obviously way too early to make any judgments, that's a lot.

A fast-breaking, full-court-pressing squad is obviously more likely to give up plenty of points, but 178 to the Bonnies and the Cougars (did you know they were called the Cougars?) is, well ... troubling.

We will thankfully finish this home-and-home with Chicago State on Dec. 22 at the Events Center --- a game that frighteningly reminds me of our Dec. 17, 2005 matchup with North Florida, a team that, on that date, was three spots from the cellar of the national RPI --- and managed to hold onto a lead against us until the 2:00 mark. (Notably, that was the game where Al Walker decided to rip up Jaan Montgomery's redshirt, to the delight of the Binghamton crowd.)

(The other fun stat about that Dec. 17 game, which was after most students had gone home for winter break: Schafer Jackson hit three three-pointers; his first three-point makes of the season.)

It's obviously very early in the Kevin Broadus era, but someone please, please tell me how I can interpret a 21-point loss at Chicago State, a game where we mailed it in from the very first possession, as a positive.

The Bearcats return home for a 7 p.m. Tuesday night OOC match-up with Central Connecticut State at the Events Center. Anticipate Milos Klimovic to make his first start of the season.