MEN’S BASKETBALL

Maine at Bethune-Cookman

Time, site: 7:30 p.m., Moore Gymnasium, Daytona Beach, Fla.

Records: Maine 0-1, Bethune-Cookman (0-0)

Series, last meeting: first meeting

Key players: Maine – 6-2 G Kevin Reed (9.0 ppg, 7 rpg, 5 spg) , 6-3 G Eric Dobson (9 ppg, 3 apg, 3 rpg), 6-2 G Ludmil Hadjisotirov (5.0 ppg, 2.0 apg), 6-4 G-F Jermaine Jackson (12 ppg, 4 rpg), 6-7 G-F Joe Campbell (7 ppg, 6 rpg), 6-9 F David Dubois (7.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg); Bethune-Cookman – 6-8 C Pape Ba (10.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg last season), 6-6 F Diondre Larmond (10.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg), 6-7 F-C Michael Williams (4.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg), 6-1 G O’Neal Carter (3.8 ppg, 2.9 apg), 6-4 F Kendrick Frink (4.1 ppg, 1.0 rpg)

Outlook: The Black Bears showed they can play defense against Florida State on Friday night, but their offense was smothered by a solid Seminoles’ defense. The Wildcats, picked to finish ninth in the 11-member Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, return all-MEAC selection Ba and feature good size in the frontcourt. The Wildcats are similar to the Bears in that their top two scorers are not back from last season’s 8-22 team, but six lettermen – three of them starters – do return. Bethune-Cookman coach Clifford Reed is in his third season. Dubois appears to have gotten out of the gate quickest as the Bears evaluate who will get the bulk of minutes in the pivot.