UMaine Capsules

Women’s basketball

MAINE vs. BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Time, site: Sunday, noon, Agganis Arena, Boston

Records: Maine 6-11 (2-4 America East); Boston University 11-6 (4-2)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 37-19; BU 63-51 on 3/10/05

Key players: Maine – 6-1 G/F Bracey Barker (12.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.1 spg), 5-8 G Ashley Underwood (12.3 ppg, 2.5 apg, .361 3-pt. pct.), 6-3 C Abby Schrader (11.2 ppg, 9.4 rpg), 6-2 F Katie Whittier (9.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg, .650 FG pct.), 5-6 G Margaret Elderton (4.5 ppg, 2.4 apg); BU – 6-0 F Cheri Raffo (11.7 ppg, 2.5 apg), 5-9 G Rachael Vanderwal (10.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 3.8 apg), 6-0 F Erica Kovach (10.4 ppg, 4.5, .471 FG pct., .423 3-pt. pct.), 6-3 F Kasey Devine (7.6 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.2 bpg), 6-1 F Jesyka Burks-Wiley (6.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, .839 FT pct.)

Outlook: This has been an intense rivalry of late, but the Bears are concerned more with playing better. Maine is coming off Wednesday’s loss at Stony Brook and still doesn’t have the badly needed Underwood (ankle sprain) at 100 percent. Frosh Brittany Bowen is averaging 9.5 points in the last two games. The Bears, losers of seven straight road games, could struggle to stop a balanced BU team averaging 70.8 ppg in AE games. The Terriers have solid post players, 3-point shooters, and take good care of the ball. Senior guard Katie Meinhardt is questionable with an injury and didn’t play in Wednesday’s win over Albany. Maine must limit turnovers, box out, and keep BU off the offensive boards.

Men’s basketball

MAINE vs. BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Time, site: Sunday, 3 p.m.; Agganis Arena, Boston

Records: Maine 8-11 (3-5 America East), BU 8-11 (5-3)

Series, last meeting: BU leads 48-37; BU 58-55 on 12/10/05

Key players: Maine – 6-2 G Ernest Turner (16.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.1 apg), 6-1 G Jon Sheets (9.9 ppg, 2.9 apg, 2.7 rpg), 6-6 F Philippe Tchekane Bofia (9.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg), 5-10 Rashard Turner (9.6 ppg, 3.2 apg, 2.7 rpg), 6-4 F Chris Bruff (6.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg), 6-10 C Olli Ahvenniemi (6.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.5 bpg); Boston University – 6-8 F Kevin Gardner (11.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg), 6-4 G Corey Hassan (10.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg), 6-2 G Shaun Wynn (7.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 4.0 apg), 6-8 F-C Omari Peterkin (7.1 pp, 4.3 rpg), 5-8 G Brian Macon (6.4 ppg, 4.1 apg, 2.8 rpg)

Outlook: This game is almost more important mentally than statistically for the Black Bears, as they feel they gave one away at home last month after leading the Terriers most of the game. The win will also tighten up the race among the middle-of-the-pack AE teams. Maine is trying to notch just its second win in the last 14 games against BU. The two key factors in this series are usually rebounds and turnovers and this should be no exception: The Terriers are averaging 33.9 rebounds and 13.5 turnovers per game while Maine is at 35.7 and 15.7, respectively. The Terriers are outrebounding opponents by an average of 1.9 per game while Maine is being outrebounded by 2.3. The team that makes the fewest mistakes, especially in crunch time, should prevail.

Women’s hockey

MAINE vs. BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Time, site: Saturday, noon; Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 11-5-6 (3-5-4 Hockey East); BU 10-11-4 (5-8-2)

Series, last meeting: first meeting

Key players: Maine – D Julie Poulin (6 goals, 16 assists), D Kelly Law (5 & 16), C Brigitte Laflamme (10 & 10), RW Sonia Corriveau (9 & 9), C Cheryl White (10 & 5), LW Patricia Gagnon (3 & 2), G Genevieve Turgeon (6-4-4, 2.29 GAA, .895 save pct.); BU – LW Laurel Koller (11 & 13), RW Gina Kearns (11 & 12), C Cara Hendry (7 & 12), RW Nicki Wiart (7 & 12), LW Erin Seman (7 & 10), D Amanda Shaw (3 & 8), G Allyse Wilcox (8-9-4, 2.43, .915)

Outlook: BU, in its first year as a varsity program, has been a real surprise. Former BU men’s assistant coach Brian Durocher has three juniors and a sophomore and the rest are freshmen, including five of his top six scorers. It is an important game for both as they try to earn one of the four Hockey East tournament berths. The Terriers are 0-2-1 in their last three while Maine is 1-1-2 in its last four, including last Sunday’s 2-2 tie with Providence. Maine will hope its power play, operating at an impressive 22 percent, will continue to click. The Bears need to do a better job capitalizing on their scoring chances. Both teams have two productive scoring lines. Maine will be without workhorse defenseman Jenna Cowan (shoulder).