MAINE vs. MORGAN STATE

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

Records: Maine (1-5); Morgan State (0-6)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 4-1, MSU 71-63 Dec. 11, 2004

Key players: Maine – 6-2 G Ernest Turner (18.2 ppg, 1.7 spg), 6-1 G Jon Sheets (11.7 ppg, 2.3 apg, .409 3-pt. ave., .909 FT ave.), 6-10 C Olli Ahvenniemi (5.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.0 bpg), 5-10 PG Rashard Turner (9.8 ppg, 4.8 apg), 6-4 G Chris Bruff (6.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg); Morgan State – 6-6 F Andrew Lee (11.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg), 5-9 PG Timothy Mathis (10.3 ppg, 3.0 apg, 2.0 spg), 6-2 G Joseph McLean (8.5 ppg, 3.2 apg), 6-8 F-C Timothy Berkley (5.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg), 6-2 G Marcus Gomes (3.5 ppg, 2.0 spg)

Outlook: The Black Bears appear to match up favorably against the Bears, who do not feature a lot of size among their regulars. Morgan State graduated four starters, but four returning players have starting experience. The Bears have had trouble with turnovers, averaging 21.7 per game. There is also a big scoring disparity between the Bears and their opponents as MSU is averaging 52.8 points per game while opposing teams are averaging 80.3. Turnovers will be the game’s key statistic, but Maine must win outright, or at least hold its own on the boards. Maine should be able to play a lot of man-to-man, but MSU may have trouble matching up against Ahvenniemi inside and/or against Maine’s tall and deep guards corps – even without injured star Kevin Reed.