The University of Maine men’s 2002-03 basketball season sounds more like the title of a tongue-in-cheek, self-help book.

It would be something like “How to Lead Your Conference in Almost Every Statistical Category and Still Finish Below .500.”

All season long, opposing coaches continually asked Maine coach John Giannini why his team wasn’t higher in the standings. Giannini’s answer was four simple words: turnovers and free throws.

The Black Bears were first in three categories (field goal percentage, 3-point field goal percentage, assists), second in three (scoring, blocks, steals), third in three (scoring margin, 3-point field goals made, field-goal percentage defense), and fourth in one (assist-to-turnover ratio). Yet they were fifth in the league and finished with a 14-16 overall record.

“We broke the school record for assists last year,” said Giannini, whose team dished out an average of 16.8 per game en route to a 505 total. “We played well together, but we just didn’t always have the skill to pull it off. We were a high assist/high turnover team.”

Can’t argue with that. Maine committed an America East-high 18.1 turnovers per game. That’s tough enough to overcome, but combine that statistic with a 64.7 free throw shooting percentage (seventh in the league), and you have two categories that trump 10 others.

To say last season was tough would be a vast understatement. Giannini has referred to it as one of the most frustrating and bewildering ones in his 14-year collegiate head coaching career.

The frustration wasn’t limited to just the coaches.

“I think the problem last year was most of the people on the team were not great friends off the court. On the court, it would show by easy arguments between players,” said 6-foot-9 junior forward David Dubois, one of the big men Giannini is counting on to man the post in a four-guard system.

The good news is that last season is over … done with … finis. Not only that, but this is a new season for a new team that has to replace three-fifths of its starting lineup and all of its frontcourt – one of America East’s best.

That doesn’t seem to overly concern Giannini, however.

“Our size is far from being small. We’ll still have one of the biggest three players in the league at one point or another in the post,” he said. “Overall, we’re still a pretty big team average-wise in the conference. What we lack is a wide body who’s a physical, proven player in the low post. Each of our three big guys have that potential, but they’re still developing.”

None of them can replace 7-foot center Justin Rowe, and since it’s an even taller order to replace Rowe, 6-7 forward Clayton Brown, and America East all-conference forward Rickey White, Giannini isn’t going to even try.

“If we try to use the system we used last year, we probably wouldn’t be as successful because we don’t have anyone who’ll lead the conference in rebounds and blocked shots, but our passing and shooting are very strong,” he said. “And we have a strong and talented group of guards with at least seven players who can play four different positions.”

Given that, the Bears will utilize a four-guard lineup and depth to make up for less size with speed, shooting, and versatility.

“When we looked at our team in Canada, we were the best possible team with a lot of shooters out there at one time,” said Giannini, referring to the team’s four-game preseason trip over Columbus Day weekend. “I think one of our best options is to play with four perimeter guys and a single post player.”

Sounds like an an appropriate strategy. Maine already has one of America East’s best backcourts with 6-1 sophomore Kevin Reed and 6-2 junior Eric Dobson plus at least four other guards capable of starting.

Reed was AE’s top 3-point shooter last year, canning 40.5 percent of his 200 shots. Dobson led the conference in assists with 146 (4.9 per game).

Also back are 6-7 junior guards Joe Campbell and Freddy Petkus and 6-2 senior guard Ludmil “Udo” Hadjisotirov – who combined to average 17 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.

“I can think of a lot of teams in recent years who have had a lot of success shooting the ball well which didn’t have a lot of depth and quality with big, bruising bodies underneath,” Giannini said.

Maine will count on veterans Dubois and 6-10 senior forward Mark Flavin to provide the bruising bodies as the new system is refined. Both are being handed great opportunities and the hope is at least one of them will grab them with both hands.

“I think I have more confidence this year and I worked a lot more in the post than I have before,” Dubois said. “I know a lot more about my weaknesses and my strengths.”

Speaking of that, teammate relations – something that may have been a weakness last year – appears to be a strength this season.

“This year, the atmosphere in the locker room before and after practice is great,” said Dubois. “The guys all get along. We talk a lot more and there’s no complaining.

“There’s a lot more respect. There’s no question it’s all about basketball. There’s no bragging about anything.”

Olli Ahvenniemi, a 6-10 freshman from Finland, may also provide some much-needed talent in the pivot.

Further buttressing Giannini’s argument for a guard-oriented lineup is the addition and development of junior transfer guard Chris Markwood, who becomes eligible to play Dec. 20, and freshman guard Chris Bruff from West Hartford, Conn.

“Chris Markwood is really going to help us in a lot of ways. He worked extremely hard in the offseason, and Chris Bruff is our leading rebounder in practice,” Giannini said.

Markwood will hit the court running after spending most of last season with the team following his official transfer from Notre Dame. The South Portland native knows the players, the coaches, and what is expected of him.

Throw in the potential and pure athletic ability of Jermaine Jackson, a 6-4 junior college transfer swingman from Florida who has wowed coaches with flashes of his abilities in practice, and you can understand why Maine coaches aren’t crying poverty following the loss of their frontcourt.

“What gives me hope right now is we can score,” said Giannini. “And when you can score, that can cover up a lot of other things.”

The only question remaining is how big a cover-up will be required.

2003-04 UMaine

Men’s Basketball Schedule

November

7 ? Connecticut Stars (exhib.), 7 p.m.

17 ? Sportspower USA (exhib.), 7 p.m.

21 ? at Florida State, 7 p.m.

24 ? at Bethune-Cookman, 7:30 p.m.

UMaine Invitational

28 ? U-New England, 6 p.m.

29 ? Brown/UM-Fort Kent, 6/8 p.m.

December

2 ? at Harvard, 7 p.m.

16 ? Dartmouth, 7 p.m.

20 ? Morgan State, at Portland, tba

23 ? at Massachusetts, 7 p.m.

30 ? Colby, 7 p.m.

January

2 ? Hartford, 7 p.m.

4 ? Stony Brook, 1 p.m.

7 ? at Binghamton, 7 p.m.

11 ? Vermont, 1 p.m.

14 ? at New Hampshire, 7 p.m.

18 ? Albany, 1 p.m.

21 ? at Boston University, 7 p.m.

24 ? Maryland Baltimore County, 7 p.m.

28 ? Northeastern, 7 p.m.

31 ? at Stony Brook, 2 p.m.

February

4 ? at Hartford, 7 p.m.

8 ? Binghamton, 1 p.m.

11 ? New Hampshire, 7 p.m.

14 ? at Albany, 1 p.m.

18 ? Boston University, 7 p.m.

21 ? at Maryland Baltimore County, 7 p.m.

26 ? at Northeastern, 7 p.m.

29 ? at Vermont, 1 p.m.

March

5-7 ? America East Championship, at Boston

13 ? America East Championship final, at home site of higher remaining seed