Men’s Basketball

MAINE vs. NORFOLK STATE

Time, site: Sunday, 1 p.m.; Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 5-3; Norfolk (Va.) State 2-4

Series, last meeting: First meeting

Key players: Maine – 6-2 G Huggy Dye (17.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg), 6-10 F Julian Dunkley (16.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg), 6-6 F Carvell Ammons (13.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg), 6-3 G Errick Greene (7.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg), 6-2 G Derrick Jackson (6.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg); Norfolk State – 6-6 F Cornelius Roberts (16.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg), 6-0 G Terrence Winston (16.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg), 6-6 F Cordell Maxwell (7.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg), 6-7 F Michael Boyd (7.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg), 6-9 C Jamal Mills (5.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg)

Outlook: The Black Bears look to rebound from a disappointing loss on Tuesday with a non-league showdown against the Spartans of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The game is the first of three straight non-conference contests for UMaine. Among Norfolk State’s losses are a 10-point setback against Seton Hall and a 28-point drubbing at the hands of LSU. Maine can’t afford a defensive letdown like it had on Tuesday, when BU shot 56 percent in the second half and rallied from eight points down. The Bears have played poorly in two of the past three games and must begin to put forth a consistent effort each time out: Streaky teams don’t often make it through the postseason grind and into the NCAA tourney.