Men’s College Basketball

MAINE vs. HOFSTRA

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

Records: Maine 16-7 (9-5 America East), Hofstra 20-4 (13-2)

Series, last meeting: Hofstra leads 13-5; Hofstra won 67-62 on Jan. 21

Key players: Maine – 6-10 F Julian Dunkley (15.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg), 6-6 F Carvell Ammons (15.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg), 6-2 G Huggy Dye (13.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg), 6-3 G Errick Greene (10.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg), 6-2 G Derrick Jackson (6.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg); Hofstra – 6-0 G Jason Hernandez (12.4 ppg, 3.5 apg), 6-3 G Rick Apodaca (11.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg), 6-5 G/F Norman Richardson (16.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg), 6-7 F Roberto Gittens (9.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg), 6-9 C Greg Springfield (5.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg)

Outlook: The Pride enter with a 12-game win streak that ranks second-longest in the nation. The reason for that is a stingy defensive unit that ranks as the league’s best and some outstanding guard play. Richardson can shoot and slash while Apodaca and Hernandez are both dangerous. Overextend to stop them, though, and the Pride will kill you down low: Gittens doesn’t shoot often, but he has made a sizzling 81 percent of his attempts from the floor (34 of 42) over the last nine games. Maine counters with a varied attack that features the inside play of Ammons and the perimeter play of Dunkley and Dye. The Bears hope to turn the game into a higher-scoring affair and will attack the Pride defense as much as possible. The Pride has gone 39-7 since Jan. 1, 2000 and is very effective on the road, with a nation-leading nine road wins.