MAINE vs. BINGHAMTON

Time, site: Thursday, 7 p.m.; Events Center, Vestal, N.Y.

Records: Maine 7-4 (2-0 America East), Binghamton 3-8 (0-2)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 5-2, Maine 79-77 (OT) on 3/7/04

Key players: Maine – 6-2 G Kevin Reed (12.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.2 spg), 6-2 G Ernest Turner (13.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.9 apg), 6-11 F Mark Flavin (7.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg), 6-7 G-F Joe Campbell (7.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg), 6-4 G-F Jermaine Jackson (6.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg); Binghamton – 7-0 C Nick Billings (4.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg), 6-3 G Andre Heard (15.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.5 apg), 6-1 G Troy Hailey (10.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg), 6-8 Alex Adediran (8.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg), 6-6 F Sebastian Hermenier (6.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg)

Outlook: The Black Bears will play their first game without leading assist man Chris Markwood, who’s out four to six weeks with a broken left hand. Turner, Reed, and Chris Bruff will likely take turns at the point with Turner getting most of the time. The Bearcats feature the premier center in America East in Billings and Heard, a junior who scored 27 points in the second half in a five-point loss to Northeastern Sunday. Billings has been in an offensive malaise much of the season. He attempted only four shots in one recent game and has been saddled with foul trouble several times. He’ll face a rejuvenated Flavin, who was having the same trouble the first seven games but is playing well at both ends now.