Men’s basketball

NEW ORLEANS KNOCKOUT TOURNAMENT

Maine vs. Tulane/Central Florida

Time, site: 8 p.m. Thursday (Tulane), 6 p.m. Saturday (Central Florida); Fogelman Arena, New Orleans

Records: Maine (1-1), Tulane (1-1), UCF (1-1)

Series, last meeting: first meeting (vs. Tulane); 1-3, won 101-97 in 1993 (vs. UCF)

Key players: Maine – 6-2 G Derrick Jackson (9.5 ppg, 4.5 apg), 6-1 G Kevin Reed (19.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg), 6-2 G Eric Dobson (17.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 6.5 apg), 6-6 G-F Joe Campbell (15.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg), 6-9 F David Dubois (10.5 ppg, 10.0 rpg), 6-7 F Clayton Brown (10.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg last season); Tulane – 6-8 F Brandon Brown (15.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.5 apg), 6-6 F Nick Sinville (11.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg), 6-1 G Brandon Spann (13.5 ppg, 3.0 apg), 5-11 G Marcus Kinzer (5.5 ppg, 2.5 apg), 6-4 G Ben Benfield (2.5 ppg), 6-3 G Waitari Marsh (14.0 ppg, 3.0 apg); Central Florida – 5-10 G Ray Abellard (20.5 ppg), 6-7 F Ed Dotson (15.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg), 6-4 G-F Marius Boyd (9.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg), 6-0 G Al Miller (4.0 spg), 6-9 C Roberto Morentin (14.0 ppg)

Outlook: The Black Bears will again be without the services of starting frontcourt players Justin Rowe, Clayton Brown and Rickey White plus forward Mark Flavin, who are all serving suspensions for secondary NCAA rules violation. Both Brown and Flavin will return to the lineup for Saturday’s game, however, and inject much-needed size and depth into the lineup. Coach John Giannini wants to win all three games, but given the caliber of competition, coming out of the weekend tourney with a 2-1 mark would be something to celebrate for Maine. The Black Bears will be hard-pressed to match up with Tulane’s size, but their backcourt talent and depth could be an edge. Maine matches up better with UCF, but the Golden Knights are also big up front and Brown/Flavin may have some rust to shake off. Again, guard play will be key as UCF has made 17 steals in two games. Maine will play either Indiana State, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, or Southeast Missouri State at 2, 4 or 6 p.m. Sunday for first, third, or fifth place.