MEN’S BASKETBALL

Maine vs. Hartford

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

Records: Maine 9-11 (6-3 America East); Hartford 9-14 (6-4)

Series, last meeting: Hartford leads 20-19; Hartford won 50-47 on Jan. 17

Key players: Maine – 6-3 G Errick Greene (19.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.85 apg), 7-0 C Justin Rowe (13.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 4.1 bpg), 6-7 F Clayton Brown (12.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg), 6-2 G Derrick Jackson (7.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg), 6-6 F Joe Campbell (7.2 ppg, 3.9 ppg); Hartford – 6-7 F Deon Saunders (12.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg), 6-6 F Pierre Johnson (10.1 ppg, 7.5 ppg), 5-10 G Ryan Stys (10.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg), 6-7 F Junior Amous (9.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg), 6-4 G/F Mantas Storpirstis (6.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg)

Outlook: If the Bears can escape Hartford with a win over the pesky Hawks, they’ll be in good position to make some noise down the stretch: After Tuesday, UMaine returns home to friendly Alfond Arena for its next five games before finishing the regular season with a road game at BU. Hartford prevailed in Orono in a low-scoring battle, but did so without ever solving Maine’s halfcourt defense. Stys is a solid perimeter threat, but has trouble getting his shot off when Jackson is hounding him. The Bears need some perimeter production out of Brown, Todd Tibbetts or Freddy Petkus in order to take the pressure off Rowe and Greene. Campbell continues to sizzle: He’s shooting 56.9 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Maine vs. Boston University

Time, site: Tuesday, 7 p.m.; Case Gym, Boston, Mass.

Records: Maine 11-8 (5-3 America East), Boston U. 12-8 (5-4)

Series, last meeting: UMaine leads 28-16; BU won 61-54 on 2/22/01

Key players: Maine – 6-1 F Heather Ernest (13.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg), 5-7 G Missy Traversi (9.9 ppg, 2.8 apg), 5-9 G Melissa Heon (9.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.8 spg), 6-0 F Monica Peterson (8.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg), 5-7 G Kim Corbitt (7.4 ppg, 2.3 apg), 6-1 G/F Julie Veilleux (7.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.7 apg); BU – 5-11 G Katie Terhune (19.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.7 spg), 5-7 G Alison Argentieri (9.0 ppg, 2.8 apg), 6-2 F Marisa Moseley (8.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg), 6-1 F Adrienne Norris (8.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg), 6-0 F/G Dia Dufault (6.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg)

Outlook: The Bears look to rebound after a lackluster defensive effort in Sunday’s loss at Northeastern. UMaine has slipped to sixth place, but is within one game of third. The Bears encounter a BU squad that averages 66 ppg but is last in FG percentage at .376. UMaine must contain the league’s top scorer in Terhune, who has a knack for getting to the foul line, where she’s shooting 83 percent. BU can cause problems with their defense and is adept at scoring in transition. The Bears must bottle up the middle while contending with the Terriers’ 3-point threats. Corbitt has played particularly well at the point of late for UMaine, which can greatly help its cause with a strong rebounding effort. BU, which matches up well in the frontcourt, won both meetings last season.