Women’s Basketball
MAINE vs. McGILL
Time, site: Saturday, 4 p.m., Memorial Gym, Orono
Records: Maine 17-15 (2013-14), McGill 5-1 (exhibition)
Series, last meeting: 1st meeting
Key players (2013-14 statistics): Maine — 5-10 G/F Liz Wood (12.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.1 steals), 5-8 G Lauren Bodine (7.4 ppg, .405 3-pt. FG pct.), 5-8 G Sophie Weckstrom (5.5 ppg.), 5-8 G Sigi Koizar (4.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.5 apg), 6-2 F Mikaela Gustafsson (4.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg), 5-10 G/F Chantel Charles (4.5 ppg); McGill — 6-1 F Mariam Sylla (12.7 ppg, 9.5 rpg), 6-4 C Alex Kiss-Rusk (9.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg), 5-11 F Jennifer Silver (9.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg), 5-7 Dianna Ros (8.2 ppg, 5.2 apg), 6-2 F Stephanie Blais (6.2 ppg, .409 3-pt. FG pct.)
Game notes: With less than two weeks until their season opener, the Black Bears hope to begin building on last season’s improvement with a more veteran unit. The Martlets will have an edge as they have played six exhibition games already. McGill, from Montreal, has some frontcourt height with which UMaine must contend. The Bears are blessed with depth, with junior transfer Bella Swan among five newcomers.
Men’s Basketball
MAINE vs. SOUTHERN MAINE
Time, site: Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Hill Gymnasium, Gorham
Records (2013-2014): Maine 6-23, Southern Maine 7-19
Series, last meeting: Maine leads 2-1, Maine 77-33 on 11/23/96
Key players: Maine — 6-4 G Zarko Valjarevic (11.3 ppg, 1.4 apg), 6-5 G Shaun Lawton (8.1 ppg, 4.2 apg, 2.0 spg), 6-8 F Till Gloger (7.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg), 6-0 G Troy Reid-Knight (6.5 ppg, 2.3 apg), 6-7 F Ethan Mackey (5.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg), 5-11 G Aaron Calixte (1st season); USM — 6-2 G Cole Libby (9.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.1 apg), 6-5 F Jacob Littlefield (5.7 ppg), 5-11 G Sean Caddigan (4.6 ppg), 6-3 G Zach Leal (3.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg), 5-10 G Darius Bradford (2.4 ppg)
Game notes: The Black Bears will make their unofficial debut under first-year head coach Bob Walsh with a rare road exhibition contest. UMaine has a new attitude but must replace significant offensive production with the loss of Xavier Pollard and Dimitry Akanda-Coronel to transfer. The Huskies of coach Karl Henriksson also must overcome losing three of their top four scorers to graduation. Division III USM plays in the Little East Conference, where Walsh coached Rhode Island College. UMaine has a promising freshman in point guard Calixte, who played at Lee Academy.