UMaine capsules

Women’s basketball

MAINE vs. BOSTON COLLEGE

Time, site: Saturday, noon; Conte Forum, Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Records: Maine 2-7, Boston College 7-3

Series, last meeting: Boston College leads 4-1, BC 63-34 on 12/17/06

Key players: Maine – 6-0 F Brittany Boser (10.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg, .558 FG pct.), 5-11 F Tanna Ross (9.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg), 6-0 F Colleen Kilmurray (8.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg), 5-8 G Emily Rousseau (7.6 ppg, .444 3-pt. FG pct.), 5-7 G Kris Younan (5.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.7 apg), 6-6 C Sandra Vaitkute (4.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg); Boston College – 6-4 F Stephanie Murphy (19.3 ppg, 11.1 rpg, .594 FG pct.), 6-6 C Carolyn Swords (15.4 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 1.2 bpg, .653 FG pct.), 6-0 G Ayla Brown (7.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg), 5-8 G Mickel Picco (5.7 ppg), 5-4 G Victoria Jones (2.4 ppg, 3.2 apg)

Outlook: The Bears, who beat St. Francis on Sunday for their first victory in a month, face a difficult test against the Eagles. One of UMaine’s glaring weakness is its post game, where the undersized Boser has been the mainstay. Against BC, the Bears must contend with Murphy and Swords, two freshmen who average 6-5 and are the Eagles’ top two scorers and rebounders. BC has won six of its last seven games, including Sunday’s 66-60 victory over La Salle. The Eagles of the Atlantic Coast Conference are 4-0 at home. UMaine is likely to play a tight zone and dare BC to shoot from the perimeter. Freshmen Rousseau and Ross continue to be increasingly key pieces of the puzzle for the Bears.

Men’s basketball

MAINE vs. CONNECTICUT

Time, site: 1 p.m. Saturday, Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, Conn.

Records: Maine 4-6, Connecticut 7-2

Series, last meeting: UConn leads 79-16, UConn 108-72 Feb. 22, 1993

Key players: Maine – 6-9 C Brian Andre (13.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg), 6-5 G Junior Bernal (11.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.3 apg), 6-5 G Mark Socoby (11.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.3 apg), 6-7 F Troy Barnies (7.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg), 6-6 F Philippe Tchekane Bofia (5.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg), 6-10 F-C Jordan Cook (5.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg); Connecticut – 6-4 G Jerome Dyson (15.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.9 apg), 6-7 F Jeff Adrien (12.7 ppg, 8.6 rpg), 6-2 G A.J. Price (12.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 6.0 apg), 6-9 F Stanley Robinson (10.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg), 7-3 C Hasheem Thabeet (9.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg), 6-1 G Doug Wiggins (6.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg)

Outlook: The Black Bears face a tall order – literally – in the Huskies. A win would be Maine’s first over UConn in the last eight meetings and 29 years. The Bears, who are being outscored by opposing teams 65.4 to 63.9 points per game, must cut down their turnovers (19.8 a game) to have a chance because the Huskies, who are averaging 15.3 turnovers per game, are scoring at a 79.3 ppg clip while limiting foes to 65.4. The battle of the boards – a strength for the Bears – will also be key as UConn is pulling down 47 per game while Maine is averaging 39.7. Maine coach Ted Woodward is a former assistant (1986-89) under longtime UConn head coach Jim Calhoun.