America East Tournament

No. 8 MAINE vs. No. 9 ALBANY

Time, site: Thursday, 7 p.m., Chase Family Arena, West Hartford, Conn.

Records: Maine 9-18 (5-11 America East); Albany 7-20 (3-13)

Series, last meeting: Maine 11-0; Maine 61-52 on 2/12/06

Key players: Maine – 6-1 G/F Bracey Barker (13.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg, .826 FT pct.), 5-8 G Ashley Underwood (13.0 ppg, 2.7 apg, .817 FT pct., .338 3-pt. pct.), 6-3 C Abby Schrader (11.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 0.8 bpg), 5-6 G Margaret Elderton (5.1 ppg, 2.1 apg), 6-1 F/C Lindsey Hugstad-Vaa (4.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg); Albany – 5-11 G Sherri Mikus (8.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.0 spg), 5-8 G Jen Schumacher (10.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg, .729 FT pct.), 5-9 G Amanda Ward (8.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg), 6-0 F Gia Sanders (7.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.8 bpg), 6-1 F Sharon Majors (1.0 ppg, 1.6 rpg)

Outlook: The Black Bears are seeking the program’s 600th win, and it would come at a good time as Maine hopes to gain a berth in the tourney quarterfinals against No. 1 Hartford. The Great Danes are coming off a big win over No. 5 UMBC. Good perimeter defense will again be key as the Bears forced Albany into 0-for-15 shooting from 3-point range. The Bears will look to Underwood to shut down Schumacher, who was held to two points on 1-for-11 shooting in Maine’s Feb. 12 win. Offensively, Maine will look to Schrader, who posted a double-double (19 points, career-high 15 rebounds) on Feb. 12. Underwood scored 20 points in a 60-52 win over Albany on Jan. 11.