Men’s basketball

MAINE vs. NEW HAMPSHIRE

Time, site: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.; Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 10-11 (5-7 America East), UNH 7-14 (3-9)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 104-61; Maine 70-65 on 1/13/05

Key players: Maine – 6-2 G Ernest Turner (15.0 ppg, 2.8 apg, 2.7 rpg), 6-2 G Kevin Reed (11.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 2.2 spg), 6-10 F Mark Flavin (9.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg), 6-7 G-F Joe Campbell (8.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg), 6-3 G Chris Markwood (7.6 ppg, 4.1 apg, 2.1 rpg); New Hampshire – 6-8 F-C Ben Sturgill (12.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg), 6-8 F Blagov Janev (11.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg), 6-1 G Jermaine Anderson (9.1 ppg, 2.4 apg), 6-8 F Mike Christensen (8.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.5 apg), 6-7 F Craig Walls (7.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg)

Outlook: This would be a great time for the Bears to extend their win streak against UNH to five games. Maine is struggling with five losses in its last seven games, but UNH has dropped five of its last six. The Wildcats have one of the biggest lineups in the AE ranks, but Maine has an edge in the backcourt in terms of firepower and experience. Maine wants to avoid half-court tempo and try to get back into a transition game feeding off solid defensive pressure. The Wildcats will try and slow the tempo and force Maine to go inside and may throw some zone at the Bears, who can foil that strategy if they can hit from outside – something that hasn’t come easily of late. UNH is averaging 63.8 points per game while giving up 68.5 while Maine is scoring at a 64.0 clip and giving up 64.1.