Men’s Basketball
MAINE vs. BOSTON COLLEGE
Time, site: Thursday, 7 p.m., Conte Forum, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Records: Maine 1-7, Boston College 4-3
Series, last meeting: BC leads 14-4, Maine 52-51 in 1/2/10
Key players: Maine — 6-5 G Shaun Lawton (12.5 points per game, 2.9 assists per game, 2.2 steals per game), 6-8 F Till Gloger (9.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, .625 FG pct.), 6-5 G/F Garet Beal (8.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg), 6-5 G Zarko Valjarevic (8.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg), 5-11 G Aaron Calixte (7.8 ppg, 3.6 apg), 6-8 F Marko Pirovic (7.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg); Boston College — 6-4 G Olivier Hanlan (17.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.9 apg), 6-5 G Aaron Brown (14.3 ppg), 6-5 G Patrick Heckmann (7.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg), 6-3 G Dimitri Batten (6.6 ppg), 7-0 C Dennis Clifford (6.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg)
Game notes: The Black Bears have little time to lick their wounds after Tuesday’s 83-70 loss to LIU Brooklyn. After its second 5 a.m. practice in three days, UMaine squares off against an Atlantic Coast Conference foe. Boston College is coming off back-to-back wins over Marist and Providence with five days to prepare for the Bears. UMaine will contest with a four-guard Eagles lineup that has shown the ability to get to the foul line often. They’re shooting only 24 percent on 3-pointers. The Bears’ emphasis remains defense. They allowed LIU Brooklyn to shoot 61 percent in the second half (7-for-7 on 3’s) and 50 percent overall. UMaine’s opponents are shooting 53 percent this season. Lawton has been a workhorse for the Bears, averaging 32.2 minutes per game and shooting 57 percent while playing tenacious defense. The Eagles, who are 3-0 at home, are the sixth tallest team in the country at 6-6 ¾, weighted by minutes played.