MAINE vs. DREXEL

Time, site: 1 p.m., Saturday, Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 7-3, Drexel 3-4

Series: Drexel leads 16-6

Key players: Maine – 6-1 G Andy Bedard (20.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 6.0 apg), 6-8 F Nate Fox (13.4 ppg, 8.7 rpg), 6-2 G Huggy Dye (11.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg), 6-6 F Allen Ledbetter (10.9 ppg, 8.7 rpg), 6-2 F Fred Meeks (10.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg), 6-1 G Marcus Wills (9.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg); Drexel – 6-9 C Joe Linderman (12.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg), 6-2 G Mike DeRocckis (14.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.0 apg), 6-7 F Mike Kouser (12.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg), 6-6 F Petrick Sanders (10.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg), 6-1 G Bryant Coursey (3.9 ppg, 4.0 apg)

Outlook: The Black Bears should face a stern conference test in the middle of a five-day, three-game stretch with the perennial contenders from Philadelphia. The Dragons have had star Linderman back for three games after an early-season injury. He’s a first-team all-conference pick from a year ago who give the Dragons a potent inside force to go with outside sniper DeRocckis, one of the league’s top shooters. That will stretch the UMaine defense. Fox is coming off an 18-for-19 shooting effort against Sacred Heart. The Bears haven’t started a season better than 8-3 since 1960-61, when they went 10-1.