Nationwide Insurance Lady Gator Classic

MAINE vs. NORTH CAROLINA STATE

Time, site: Wednesday, 4:30 p.m.; Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, Fla.

Records: Maine 3-2; North Carolina State 4-2

Key players: Maine – 5-9 G Cindy Blodgett (16.2 ppg, 3.8 apg, 2.6 spg), 5-9 G/F Trisha Ripton (11.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.2 apg), 6-0 F Steph Guidi (11.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg), 6-4 C Stacey Porrini (9.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg), 5-11 F Catherine Gallant (7.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg); North Carolina State – 5-8 G Tammy Gibson (14.0 ppg), 6-3 F Chasity Melvin (11.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg), 5-10 G/F Umeki Webb (10.3 ppg, 4.8 apg), 5-7 G Jennifer Howard (9.8 ppg, 4.0 apg), 6-1 F Kolleen Kreul (9.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg).

Outlook: The Black Bears’ grueling non-conference schedule begins to build to a crescendo during this tournament, which features 17th-ranked Florida. Maine hopes to build on a two-game winning streak that has been achieved without senior forward Rita Sullivan, recuperating from a sprained right ankle. Blodgett, a freshman, continues to be Maine’s sparkplug, but Porrini has filled the void inside and Ripton has helped spearhead the defense. NC State’s Kay Yow entered the season as the sixth-winningest active women’s basketball coach with 467 victories in 19-plus seasons. The Wolfpack, featuring a good mix of backcourt quickness and frontcourt size, returned all five starters and nine letterwinners from last year’s team. NC State has connected for 93 ppg in its last three outings.

FLORIDA vs. SAN FRANCISCO

Time, site: Wednesday, 7 p.m.; Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, Fla.

Records: Florida 7-2; San Francisco 6-1

Key players: Florida – 5-11 F Merlakia Jones (17.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg), 6-0 F Takilya Davis (16.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg), 6-2 Muriel Page (9.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg), 5-9 G Carla Johnson (4.9 ppg), 5-8 G Dana Smith (6.1 ppg, 3.2 apg); San Francisco – 6-3 C Valerie Gillon (19.0 ppg, 9.6 rpg), 5-9 G Brittany Lindhe (13.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg), 5-11 F Andrea Kagie (12.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.1 spg), 5-7 G Jamie Shadian (7.0 ppg, 5.4 apg), 5-10 F Renee Demirdjian (6.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg).

Outlook: Talk about home-court advantage. Florida’s Lady Gators won all 14 home games last season and have won their only home contest this season. During that streak, Florida has outscored its opponents by an average of 21.2 points. Florida moved into the Top 25 last season for the first time in 10 years. San Francisco’s Lady Dons have built their success on defense, limiting opponents to 57.4 points. USF is coached by the husband and wife team of Bill Nepfel and Mary Hile-Hepfel, the only Division I co-head coaches in the country. USF recently ended a 12-game losing streak on the road by beating Fresno State.