Women’s basketball

MAINE vs. ALBANY

Time, site: Saturday, 2 p.m.; Cumberland County Civic Ctr., Portland

Records: Maine 6-7 (2-1 America East); Albany 6-6 (1-2)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 7-0, Maine 62-49 on 3/12/04

Key players: Maine – 5-7 G Missy Traversi (12.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.5 apg, .800 FT pct.), 6-1 F Bracey Barker (10.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg, .830 FT pct.), 6-0 F Monica Peterson (10.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, .488 FG pct.), 5-7 G Kim Corbitt (8.3 ppg, 4.7 apg, .549 FG pct.), 5-9 G Ashley Underwood (8.7 ppg, .912 FT pct.), 6-3 C Abby Schrader (6.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg); Albany – 6-4 C Danielle Hutcheson (14.6 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.0 spg, 1.4 bpg), 6-1 F Maree Jones (13.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, .800 FT pct.), 5-8 G Jen Schumacher (10.7 ppg, .346 3-pt. FG pct., .786 FT pct.), 6-1 G-F Alicia Learn (9.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.3 spg), 5-11 G Sherri Mikus (3.4 ppg, 2.3 apg)

Outlook: Expect the Bears to be fired up and focused coming off Tuesday’s loss at New Hampshire – only their second league loss since 2001-02. UMaine has yet to put together a complete defensive effort. The Great Danes lost 57-47 Wednesday to Binghamton. Albany features the league’s top center in Hutcheson, whom the Bears must contain. The Danes have good overall height and are among AE’s rebounding leaders. That makes boxing out and fierce rebounding priorities for UMaine. Albany also leads the league in steals and turnover margin.

Men’s basketball

MAINE vs. ALBANY

Time, site: Sunday, 1 p.m.; Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 8-6 (3-2 in America East), Albany 7-7 (3-2)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 6-0, Maine 48-36 on 2/14/04

Key players: Maine – 6-2 G Ernest Turner (15.1 ppg, 2.9 apg, 2.8 rpg), 6-2 G Kevin Reed (11.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.3 spg), 6-11 F Mark Flavin (8.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.2 bpg), 6-7 G-F Joe Campbell (7.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.5 spg), 6-4 G-F Jermaine Jackson (7.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg); Albany – 6-2 G Lucious Jordan (17.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.8 spg), 6-1 G Jamar Wilson (17.0 ppg, 4.8 apg, 3.4 rpg), 6-6 F Levi Levine (11.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.1 apg), 7-1 C Kirsten Zoellner (8.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg), 6-6 F Aquawasi St. Hillaire (5.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg)

Outlook: The Black Bears are 1-2 in their last three games, but have played perhaps their best ball of the season, albeit in spurts, the last two outings. Freshman walk-on guard Jason Hight of Westbrook is starting to come on and fill a big void at point guard for senior Chris Markwood, who is out with a broken hand. The Bears need to sustain their solid defense against a Great Danes squad which is still dangerous despite the loss of 2003-04 AE rookie of the year guard Jon Iati, who partially tore the labrum in his right shoulder last month and is out for the season. Albany has already surpassed last season’s victory total. St. Hillaire is averaging 9.7 points and 4.3 rebounds his last three games. If Maine’s backcourt plays as well as it did against UNH, it’ll be tough to beat at home.