Women’s Basketball

MAINE vs. STONY BROOK

Time, site: Saturday, 2 p.m.; SBU Sports Complex, Stony Brook, N.Y.

Records: Maine 11-4 (4-0 America East); Stony Brook 4-12 (2-3)

Series, last meeting: Stony Brook leads 2-1; UM won 75-61 on 2/9/02

Key players: Maine – 6-1 F Heather Ernest (20.1 ppg, 10.2 rpg, .543 FG pct., .824 FT pct.), 5-9 G Melissa Heon (11.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.3 spg, .837 FT pct.), 6-1 G/F Julie Veilleux (9.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg), 6-3 F Abby Schrader (7.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg), 5-11 F Monica Peterson (6.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg), 5-7 G Kim Corbitt (5.1 ppg, 3.8 apg); Stony Brook – 5-11 F Sherry Jordan (16.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 3.0 spg, .510 FG pct.), 5-9 G/F Stephanie Bartlett (9.4 ppg, .895 FT pct.), 5-9 G Danyelle Ingram (8.6 ppg, 2.6 apg), 6-0 F Danielle DiGiorgio (8.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg), 6-4 C Bojana Bogetic (8.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg)

Outlook: The Bears, who blew out Vermont Wednesday, can’t afford to look past the Seawolves. UMaine, which has won seven straight, has been playing superb man-to-man defense. Stony Brook, which has dropped three of four, is 1-6 at home. The Bears should have an advantage with Ernest and Schrader in the post, but they’ll have to play the length of the court against an athletic Stony Brook squad that loves to run. Heon likely will be responsible for guarding Jordan, who is among the most talented players in America East. If UMaine can control the rebounding and shoot a decent percentage, they should be able to counter the quickness of SBU, which lacks depth because of injuries.

Men’s Basketball

MAINE vs. STONY BROOK

Time, site: Sunday, 2 p.m.; SBU Sports Complex, Stony Brook, N.Y.

Records: Maine 8-10 (3-3 America East), Stony Brook 7-9 (2-4)

Series, last meeting: UM leads 3-2; SBU won 57-53 on 2/10/02

Key players: Maine – 6-1 G Kevin Reed (13.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg), 6-4 F Rickey White (13.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg), 7-0 C Justin Rowe (11.7 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 4.5 bpg), 6-2 G Eric Dobson (10.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 4.9 apg), 6-7 F Clayton Brown (9.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg), 6-6 G-F Joe Campbell (9.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg); Stony Brook – 6-3 G D.J. Munir (12.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg), 6-7 F Cori Spencer (11.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg), 6-2 G Bobby Santiago (10.7 ppg, 4.0 apg), 6-5 F Jairus McCollom (10.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg), 6-8 F Mike Konopka (8.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg), 6-9 C JonPaul Kobryn (6.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg)

Outlook: Although the Seawolves may not be as tough defensively as Binghamton, the Bears will likely have to work hard for their points. Stony Brook has good size and is holding opponents to 65.2 ppg. The Seawolves are also only scoring 64 ppg. Maine is averaging 74.9 points per game offensively while holding opponents to 70.9. The ‘Wolves are 6-3 at home and have won two straight. Maine is looking to rebound from a tough loss to Vermont and hopes to have the services of White, who has missed the last 11/2 games with an ankle sprain. Guard Ludmil Hadjisotirov (ankle) is expected to miss his fourth straight game. Munir is a junior who played prep ball at Bridgton Academy. Maine, which entertains AE favorite Boston University Wednesday, can ill afford to lose Sunday.

Women’s Hockey

MAINE vs. NIAGARA

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

Records: Maine 6-8-4, Niagara 10-10-3

Series, last meeting: Niagara leads 9-3; Niagara won 3-2 on 12/7/02

Key players: Maine – RW Meagan Aarts (7 goals, 8 assists), RW Karen Droog (10 & 2), C Nicole Munro (3 & 4), D Vicky Johnstone (1 & 3), D Raffi Wolf (1 & 3), G Lara Smart (2-7-3, 2.29 goals-against average, .923 save percentage), G Dawn Froats (4-1-1, 1.64, .925); Niagara – C Valerie Hall (14 & 13), W Teresa Del-Monte (9 & 16), W Jennifer Goulet (10 & 6), W Candice Moxley (7 & 9), D Bradi Cochrane (1 & 7), G Jennifer Mascaro (4-4-2, 2.64, .902), G Breanne Doyle (5-5-1, 2.94, .895)

Outlook: Niagara is 0-2-3 in its last five, including two ties against nationally ranked Providence. The Bears, after scoring 16 goals in four games to temporarily snap out of a season-long drought, managed only two goals in its last two games. Northeastern’s 2-0 win over Maine on Sunday snapped Maine’s five-game unbeaten streak (3-0-2). Hall and Del-Monte are exceptional and the Bears will have to prevent them from getting the puck in Grade-A scoring areas. Maine has been shut out six times and must become grittier and drive to the net with more conviction. Maine’s power play is operating at a dismal 7.6 percent success rate. This begins a stretch of five nonleague games for the Bears before they finish with seven Hockey East games. Wolf may see some time up front.