Men’s Basketball
MAINE vs. NEW HAMPSHIRE
Time, site: Wednesday, 7 p.m., Cross Insurance Center, Bangor
Records: Maine 2-18 (1-6 America East), New Hampshire 11-9 (4-3)
Series, last meeting: Maine leads 118-67, Maine 73-69 on 3/2/14
Key players: Maine — 6-8 F Till Gloger (11.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, .532 FG pct.), 6-5 G Zarko Valjarevic (11.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg), 6-5 G Shaun Lawton (9.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.8 spg), 5-10 G Kevin Little (9.8 ppg, 2.5 apg, .443 3-pt. FG pct.), 5-11 G Aaron Calixte (7.0 ppg, 3.4 apg), 6-5 F Garet Beal (6.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg); UNH — 6-6 F Tanner Leissner (12.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg), 6-4 G Jaleen Smith (11.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.2 spg), 6-0 G Daniel Dion (10.9 ppg), 6-7 F Armstrong (8.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg), 6-4 G Matt Miller (7.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, .505 3-pt. FG pct.)
Game notes: The Black Bears look to win back-to-back games for the first time in nearly a year, renewing the rivalry with the Wildcats. UNH made its way north a day early to avoid having to travel through the brunt of the storm on Tuesday. UMaine snapped its school-record 13-game losing streak with Sunday’s 70-61 win at Hartford. Resurgent UNH has won three in a row, most recently a 73-68 victory over Vermont on Jan. 22. The Bears hope to have the services of Beal, who was held out of the last game because of bruised ribs. The Wildcats have been effective in league play while averaging 66.6 ppg on 45 percent shooting. UNH also shoots an AE-best 43 percent from 3-point range. UMaine leads the way in assists (13.7 apg) in conference games. Freshman Leissner has been a big addition for the Wildcats, who get perimeter punch from Miller, a transfer from Seton Hall. UNH’s 11 wins are its most since it won 13 games during 2011-2012.