MAINE at INDIANA-PURDUE-FORT WAYNE

Time, site: 7 p.m., Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Records: Maine 4-4, IPFW 3-8

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 2-0, Maine 92-67 2/25/03

Key players: Maine – 6-2 G Kevin Reed (11.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.0 spg), 6-2 G Ernest Turner (12.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg), 6-3 G Chris Markwood (9.1 ppg, 4.4 apg, 2.1 rpg), 6-7 G-F Joe Campbell (7.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.0 spg), 6-4 G-F Jermaine Jackson (6.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg), 6-9 F David Dubois (6.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg), 6-10 F Mark Flavin (5.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg); IPFW – 6-10 C David Simon (15.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg), 6-3 G Beau Bauer (8.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.3 apg), 6-3 G Quintin Carouthers (7.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.1 apg), 6-7 F Quintin Butler (8.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg), 6-3 G Jason Malone (6.2 ppg), 6-7 F Peter Campbell (9.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg)

Outlook: The Black Bears are looking to get back on the winning track after dropping two straight road games, the last one a particularly humbling loss (104-74) to Providence. The Mastodons have talent led by Simon, named by Lindy’s College Basketball Annual magazine as preseason independent player of the year this year and ranked by cbssportsline.com as the seventh-best player in the nation last year. This will be the second straight game the Bears tip off against one of the premier players in the country as Simon was invited to the NBA prospects camp earlier this year, but chose to stay in school. Simon is the only senior on the roster of this youthful squad, so the veteran Bears should be able to capitalize on their defensive ability and force some turnovers.