The second half of December has become a turning point of sorts for the University of Maine men’s basketball team.

Last year, the Black Bears won their first two games in December to start off 5-4 only to lose the next four before the new year. They eventually dropped five straight and seven of their next eight to derail a promising season that concluded with a 9-21 record.

This year, the Bears are again 5-4 and coming off impressive wins over teams like Colgate and Kennesaw State.

Next up is Princeton University in a 2 p.m. game at Alfond Arena Sunday, and although it’s a nonconference game, a win would go a long way toward enhancing the growing confidence level of a young Maine squad.

“You have to pay attention to what you’re doing defensively against a team like that,” said Maine head coach Ted Woodward.

“They run it [the offensive system] little different with a slightly different twist. They’re 5-4 right now, they’re very balanced with good guards, and a tough challenge defensively.”

Defense seems to be the Bears’ buzzword these days.

“The main thing is all five of us playing defense,” said sophomore starting guard Gerald McLemore. “If they [opponents] get by one guy, there has to be another to step up and take their place.

“The big thing for us is sticking with it and keeping on working hard.”

This season’s schedule almost mirrors last year’s with a murderous stretch upcoming including road games against the University of Connecticut and Boston College.

“This is a tough stretch,” Woodward said. “We’ve had a week off between games the last two weeks, which has been good for us as far as being able to work on a lot in practice, but sometimes it’s best to keep playing every third day and maintain a rhythm. I’m glad we’ve had this time, though.”

McLemore and other players point to overall solid team play, including Maine’s three bench players in the regular rotation, as big factors in Maine’s last three wins.

“[Kennesaw State last Sunday] was a good game for us and a team effort, totally,” said junior forward Troy Barnies of Auburn. “We have to play like this, as a team, up and down, to win games like this.”

Woodward has seen a lot of development from his bench.

“I feel very comfortable with all those guys. They all give us a different look and something different. It’s a team with decent depth to it right now.”

UM softball hits a double

The University of Maine softball team has signed two players for the 2011 season in west coast natives Kylie Sparks and Chelsea Kunin.

Sparks is a pitcher and first baseman from Kirkland, Wash., and Kunin is an outfielder from Carlsbad, Calif. Sparks went 21-3 on the mound and hit .339 to earn league MVP honors. Kunin batted .325 and was No. 2 in RBIs in her league.

Colby’s Dexter assistant of year

Colby College assistant football coach Tom Dexter has been named the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston’s NCAA Division II/III Assistant Coach of the Year for New England.

Dexter, who will be honored Jan. 14 at the Bob Whelan College Football Awards Night in Boston, is the defensive coordinator, secondary coach and strength coach for the Colby Mules, who finished fourth in the New England Small College Athletic Conference in total defense and rushing defense and 13th nationally among Division III teams in rushing defense.