MAINE vs. BROWN

Time, site: Friday, 7 p.m.; Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Brown 1-1, Maine 0-2

Series: tied 2-2

Key players: Brown – 5-8 G Vita Redding (21.0 ppg), 5-9 G/F Liz Turner (15.0 ppg, 5 apg, 3 spg), 5-11 F/C Erin Middendorp (10 ppg, 11 rpg), 5-8 G/F Julie Amato (4.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg), 6-0 G/F Kate Veronneau (3 ppg); Maine – 5-9 G Cindy Blodgett (26.0 ppg, 3.5 apg, 2.5 spg), 5-7 G Sandi Carver (4.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg), 6-4 C Stacey Porrini (8.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg), 6-4 F Jamie Cassidy (5.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg), 6-0 G/F Katie Clark (8.0 ppg)

Outlook: The Black Bears are looking to establish consistency of performance and intensity as they go after their first victory. Maine has only won the Dead River tourney once in four tries. The Brown Bears are a young team with only two upperclassmen on the roster. Blodgett has carried Maine early offensively, but Porrini and Cassidy have to step up their rebounding and scoring to give Maine more balance. Maine has been outrebounded 71-59 in its first two outings and averaged 23 turnovers. Brown, coming off a 79-62 loss to Holy Cross on Monday, has only one player over six feet and may have trouble matching up with Maine’s size inside. Maine has won 13 in a row and 29 of its last 30 games at Alfond.

OKLAHOMA STATE vs. LOYOLA (MD.)

Time, site: Friday, 5 p.m.; Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Oklahoma State 3-0, Loyola 0-1

Key players: Oklahoma State – 6-2 C Cheri Edwards (16.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg), 5-10 F Renee Roberts (11.0 ppg, 3.0 apg), 5-10 C LaToya Releford (9.0 ppg), 5-9 F Jennifer Crow (7.7 ppg, 2.5 apg), 5-9 G Shelly Jackson (7.0 ppg); Loyola – 6-0 G/F Gina Mosley (17.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.0 spg), 6-1 C Mary Anne Kirsch (14.0 ppg, 17.0 rpg), 6-0 G/F Jennifer Bongard (15.0 ppg), 5-6 G Corey Hewitt (11.0 ppg, 10.0 apg), 6-1 F/C Catey Peters (10.0 ppg).

Outlook: Despite losing six seniors off a squad that went to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season, the Cowgirls are off to a blazing 3-0 start. Big 12 member OSU beat Southern Utah and Oral Roberts en route to the championship in their own tournament last weekend. The Greyhounds, who play in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, opened Monday with a 79-77 loss against Richmond. Oklahoma State tries to take advantage of its depth, having utilized 11 players regularly, while Loyola went nine deep in its opener. Loyola, an NCAA participant two years ago, committed 31 turnovers in its opener.