MAINE vs. HOFSTRA

Time, site: Saturday, noon; Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 5-11 (2-5 America East), Hofstra 5-10 (2-5)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 22-2; Maine won 92-64 on 2/20/00

Key players: Maine – 6-1 F/C Heather Ernest (13.3 ppg, 10.1 rpg), 6-1 G/F Julie Veilleux (9.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.3 spg), 5-10 G/F Kizzy Lopez (10.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg), 5-9 G Tracy Guerrette (4.5 ppg, 3.5 apg), 6-1 F Anna James (4.9 ppg), 5-7 G Ellen Geraghty (7.8 ppg); Hofstra – 5-5 G Jen Brickey (17.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.4 apg), 5-10 G/F Kim Coke (12.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.0 spg), 5-10 G/F Jessica Olszewski (8.5 ppg), 5-5 G Stacey Claxton (7.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg), 6-2 F/C Joy Pela (6.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg)

Outlook: The Bears, re-energized by Thursday’s upset of Drexel in Orono, look to generate some momentum from the effort. Led by Ernest, who scored a career-high 23 points on the way to her league-leading 10th double-double of the season, UMaine snapped a five-game losing streak. The Bears appeared more relaxed, but maintained their intensity at both ends while holding the league’s most potent offensive team to 28 percent shooting. The Pride have struggled, losing eight of their last 10, but won 58-49 Thursday at New Hampshire. Hofstra is one of two conference teams, along with Towson, that have never beaten UMaine. The Pride have two of the league’s top nine scorers in Brickey and Coke. Hofstra ranks second in America East with a .427 field goal percentage, but is shooting a league-worst .592 from the foul line.

Men’s basketball

MAINE vs. HOFSTRA

Time, site: 1 p.m. Sunday, Hofstra Arena, Hempstead, N.Y.

Records: Maine 12-4 (5-2 America East) before Friday’s games; Hofstra 12-4 (5-2)

Series, last meeting: Hofstra leads 12-5; Hofstra won 67-64 on 2/20/00

Key players: Maine – 6-2 G Huggy Dye (15.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg), 6-10 F Julian Dunkley (15.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg), 6-6 F Carvell Ammons (14.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg), 6-3 G Errick Greene (9.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg), 6-2 G Derrick Jackson (7.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg); Hofstra – 6-5 F Norman Richardson (16.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg), 6-0 G Jason Hernandez (13.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg), 6-3 G Rick Apodaca (10.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg), 6-9 F Roberto Gittens (8.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg), 6-9 C Greg Springfield (5.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg)

Outlook: The Black Bears continue their weekend of crucial conference matchups with a game against the defending league champs. With Speedy Claxton now in the NBA, the Pride haven’t missed a step this season thanks to their four returning starters; Apodaca is the lone first-year starter. Hofstra was widely acknowledged as the league’s most athletic entry a year ago; nobody is disputing that fact this year, either. The Pride combine that athleticism with a blue-collar work ethic that has made them the league’s top defensive unit and its most effective rebounders. Richardson, Hernandez and Apodaca can hit from the perimeter and Richardson is an effective slasher who opens up others when he penetrates. Gittens and Springfield shoot a combined 58.5 percent from the floor.

Women’s hockey

MAINE vs. NORTHEASTERN, PROVIDENCE

Time, site: Saturday (Northeastern), 7 p.m.; Sunday (Providence) 3 p.m.; Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 9-9 overall (4-8 ECAC), Northeastern 11-6 (8-3 ECAC), Providence 12-6-2 (7-5-2 ECAC)

Series, last meeting: NU 5-0, NU 5-3 on Dec. 3; Providence 5-0, PC 1-0 on Dec. 2

Key players: Maine – RW Karen Droog (15 goals, 6 assists), D Kelly Nelson (4 & 15), C Andrew Keller (4 & 11), RW Jarin Sjogren (7 & 7), C Raffi Wolf (6 & 7), LW Cindy Biron (4 & 9), G Amanda Cronin (2-6, 2.65 goals-against average, .906 save percentage); Northeastern – RW Lisa Giovanelli (11 & 12), C Brooke Whitney (14 & 7), RW Kathleen Savino (4 & 9), D Kim Greene (4 & 8), LW Michelle Lorion (4 & 7), D Kim Vallone (0 & 10), G Erika Silva (11-5, 2.30, .927); Providence: C Jessica Tabb (10 & 22), LW Kim Mathias (11 & 10), RW Darlene Stephenson (6 & 11), C Jenn Butsch (3 & 7), D Meredith Roth (5 & 4), D Valerie Bono (2 & 6), G Amy Quinlan (5-5-1, 1.44, .943)

Outlook: The Bears would love to snap their career 26-game losing streak against the five established powers in the ECAC, including Northeastern and Providence. The Bears will have to play close attention to linemates Giovanelli and Whitney on Saturday and Tabb and Mathias on Sunday. Maine is looking to be much more aggressive in the defensive zone, pressuring the puck to limit the decision-making time of the NU and Friar forwards. Offensively, the Bears will simplify things by dumping the puck into the zone and attacking the Husky and Friar defensemen. The Huskies have lost four straight after upsetting the nation’s No. 1 team, Dartmouth, 4-0 on Jan. 5. NU is in the midst of a string of eight straight road games. Maine will have to create traffic in front of Silva, who is one of the league’s best netminders. The Friars were beaten by Dartmouth 5-1 on Wednesday and will play New Hampshire on Saturday in Durham, N.H.