MAINE men vs. TOWSON

Time, site: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 12-6 (5-4 America East), Towson 9-9 (5-4)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 8-7; Towson won 72-67 on 12/7/00

Key players: Maine – 6-2 G Huggy Dye (15.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg), 6-6 F Carrvell Ammons (15.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg), 6-10 F Julian Dunkley (14.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg), 6-3 G Errick Greene (9.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg), 6-2 G Derrick Jackson (6.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg); Towson – 6-4 G/F Sam Sutton (14.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg), 6-7 F Brian Barber (14.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg), 6-8 C Shaun Holtz (12.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg), 5-11 G Brian Allen (10.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg), 6-3 G Tamir Goodman (5.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg)

Outlook: The Black Bears are coming off two straight losses for the first time since December 1999 and need to get back on the winning track in conference play. Towson brings a balanced scoring attack and a scrappy defensive-minded squad to Alfond. Sutton killed the Bears in transition in the early-season loss, taking advantage of plenty of Maine turnovers to score 19. Barber doesn’t take bad shots and is deadly down low. Dunkley needs to assert himself: He has averaged 6.7 points and 2.1 rebounds a game in his last three contests. When he asserts himself offensively, especially by beating his man off the dribble, the Bears are a better team. Ammons has been on a tear of late and has averaged 18.6 a game on 59.3 accuracy against conference foes. But the trio of Dye, Dunkley and Ammons haven’t brought their “A” games on the same night.

MAINE women vs. DELAWARE

Time, site: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Bob Carpenter Center, Newark, Del.

Records: Maine 6-11 (3-5 America East); Delaware 14-3 (8-0)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 17-3; Delaware won 84-59 on 12/10/00

Key players: Maine – 6-1 F/C Heather Ernest (13.6 ppg, 10.5 rpg), 5-11 G/F Kizzy Lopez (11.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.1 spg), 5-9 G Tracy Guerrette (5.2 ppg, 3.3 apg, 1.0 spg), 6-1 G/F Julie Veilleux (8.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.2 spg), 5-9 G Ellen Geraghty (8.1 ppg, 1.7 apg), 6-1 F Anna James (5.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg); Delaware – 5-8 G Cindy Johnson (18.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.9 spg), 6-1 F Christina Rible (12.2 ppg, 10.7 rpg), 5-11 F Danielle Leyfert (11.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.2 apg), 5-6 G Megan Dellegrotti (10.5 ppg, 2.9 apg), 6-2 F Christine Cole (4.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.8 spg)

Outlook: The Bears, coming off two consecutive victories, run into the league-leading Blue Hens. UMaine is 9-0 all-time at Newark, but Delaware has won nine in a row overall and 12 straight at home. The Bears are playing with renewed confidence of late, but will need to play their best to knock off the talented Hens. And UMaine is 0-8 this season on its opponents’ home courts. Rebounding and post defense are two keys for UMaine, which must stay out of foul trouble while trying to keep Delaware off the boards. The Bears also must avoid letting Delaware play its preferred quick tempo. The Hens rank second in the league averaging 71.8 ppg and lead America East by holding opponents to 38 percent shooting. The Bears rank second in field goal percentage defense at .395 and lead the league with a .751 free-throw percentage.