Men’s basketball

MAINE vs. RUTGERS

Time, site: Thursday, 7:30 p.m., The RAC, Piscataway, N.J.

Records: Maine 3-6, Rutgers 7-2

Series, last meeting: Rutgers leads 2-0, Rutgers 72-63 on 1/2/59

Key players: Maine – 6-2 G Ernest Turner (17.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg), 6-1 Jon Sheets (10.1 ppg), 5-10 G Rashard Turner (9.8 ppg, 5.1 apg, 3.0 rpg), 6-4 G Chris Bruff (6.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg), 6-6 F Philippe Tchekane Bofia (6.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg), 6-10 C Olli Ahvenniemi (6.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.7 bpg); Rutgers – 6-3 G Quincy Douby (22.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg), 6-9 F J.R. Inman (7.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg), 6-5 F Marquis Webb (8.6, 2.4 rpg), 6-9 C Byron Jones (4.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg), 6-1 G Anthony Farmer (9.9 ppg, 3.2 apg, 2.7 rpg)

Outlook: The Scarlet Knights will be a challenge for the Black Bears with Douby coming off a co-Big East player of the week honor Dec. 5 after a double-double and career-high 36 points and Farmer being named the Big East’s most recent rookie of the week. Maine is averaging a respectable 16.1 turnovers per game along with 63.9 points and 38.2 rebounds. The Knights are averaging 11.6 turnovers, 67.6 points and 36.9 rebounds per game while holding opponents to 56.3 points per game. Rutgers is looking for its fifth win in the last six games while Maine is attempting to string two wins together for the first time this season. Maine’s backcourt and frontcourt are developing a nice balance and that will be needed against a solid Rutgers squad that takes care of the ball.