Women’s basketball

MAINE vs. BOSTON UNIVERSITY

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

Records: Maine 8-17 (4-10 America East); Boston U. 16-9 (9-5)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 37-20, BU 80-61 on 1/29/06

Key players: Maine – 6-1 G/F Bracey Barker (13.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.3 apg, .825 FT pct.), 5-8 G Ashley Underwood (12.7 ppg, 2.5 apg, .810 FT pct.), 6-3 C Abby Schrader (11.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg), 5-6 G Margaret Elderton (5.3 ppg, 2.2 apg), 6-1 F Lindsey Hugstad-Vaa (4.1 ppg); BU – 5-9 G Rachael Vanderwal (12.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.7 apg), 6-0 F Erica Kovach (11. 3 ppg, 4.4 rpg, .885 FT pct.), 5-7 G Cheri Raffo (10.7 ppg, 2.6 apg), 5-9 G Katie Meinhardt (9.8 ppg), 6-3 F Kasey Devine (7.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg)

Outlook: The Bears enter the last week of the regular season hoping to climb out of the No. 8 spot in the league standings and avoid a play-in game at next week’s AE tournament in Hartford. The Terriers are third and will finish no lower than that if they win tonight. UMaine continues to operate with limited depth, but is capable of winning on any given night. Senior Katie Whittier, who has missed a month with a stress fracture, won’t return until next week. UMaine must slow down the league’s most prolific offense (70.6 ppg) and a handful of solid 3-point threats. BU also takes care of the ball well, while the Bears’ 17.1 turnovers per contest is the highest in the conference. UMaine would benefit from attacking the basket and trying to take advantage of its good free-throw shooters.