AMERICA EAST CHAMPIONSHIP

Maine vs. Boston University

Time, site: Saturday, 11:30 a.m.; Case Gymnasium, Boston

Records: Maine 12-17, Boston University 21-9

Series, last meeting: BU leads 40-36; BU won 72-61 on 2/24/02

Key players: Maine – 6-3 G Errick Greene (16.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg), 7-0 C Justin Rowe (12.8 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 4.07 bpg), 6-7 F Clayton Brown (10.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg), 6-2 G Derrick Jackson (7.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg), 6-4 F Rickey White (8.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg); Boston University – 5-10 G Chaz Carr (13.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg), 6-7 G/F Billy Collins (11.9 ppg, 8.0 rpg), 6-8 F Ryan Butt (8.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg), 6-2 G Kevin Fitzgerald (3.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg), 6-9 F Ignacio Rodriguez (2.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg)

Outlook: UMaine’s biggest problem will be dealing with BU’s depth: the Terriers’ fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-leading scorers all customarily come off the bench. In addition, the Terriers boast several legitimate perimeter threats in Carr, Collins, Jason Grochowalski, and Paul Seymour. Maine counters with a more predictable lineup, and none of the Bears can afford an off day. Rowe could dominate against the undersized Terriers, but BU was effective in clogging the middle and preventing lobs in the last matchup. Maine will defend with some new-look defenses that BU hasn’t seen from them in the past, and that may turn the tide in the Bears’ favor for a while. Maine needs to score points during the spans it has BU confused, rather than just playing even.