Men’s Basketball
MAINE vs. HARTFORD
Time, site: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Cross Insurance Center, Bangor
Records: Maine 8-19 (4-10 America East), Hartford 8-21 (3-11)
Series, last meeting: Hartford leads 39-30, Maine 105-100 (OT) on 1/27/16
Key players: Maine — 6-7 F Issac Vann (14.6 points per game, 5.4 rebounds per game), 6-7 F Devine Eke (9.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.6 blocked shots per game, .624 FG pct.), 6-8 F Till Gloger (9.3 ppg, .581 FG pct.), 5-11 G Aaron Calixte (10.4 ppg, 2.7 apg), 6-5 G Shaun Lawton (8.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.0 apg, 2.0 spg, .421 3-pt. FG pct.), 6-2 G Lavar Harewood (5.2 ppg); Hartford — 6-4 G Pancake Thomas (18.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.9 apg, .424 3-pt. FG pct.), 6-8 F George Blagojevic (9.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg), 5-11 G Jalen Ross (9.5 ppg), 6-1 G Justin Graham (8.1 ppg, 2.3 apg, 1.3 spg), 6-4 G Taylor Dyson (7.3 ppg)
Game notes: The Black Bears hope to close out the regular season by generating some confidence heading into the postseason. UMaine will recognize its two seniors, Gloger and Lawton, while sponsoring a “Beach Night” promotion for students. UMaine has lost six in a row coming off Sunday’s 75-56 setback against Stony Brook. The Bears can finish no higher than fifth, thus will face a quarterfinal road game against an undetermined opponent. Hartford is a game behind UMaine and Binghamton after Saturday’s 74-63 loss at New Hampshire. The Hawks have dropped eight of their last nine games. Hartford and UMaine love to shoot the 3, so fans can expect a speedy pace. The Bears’ ability to limit second shots against the AE’s worst rebounding team will be a key.
Women’s Basketball
MAINE vs. HARTFORD
Time, site: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Chase Family Arena, West Hartford, Connecticut
Records: Maine 22-7 (13-1 America East), Hartford 11-16 (7-7)
Series, last meeting: Maine leads 41-28, Maine 61-43 on 1/27/16
Key players: Maine — 5-8 G Sigi Koizar (17.6 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game, 4.0 assists per game, .438 3-pt. FG pct.), 5-10 G/F Liz Wood (9.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.6 steals per game), 6-2 F Mikaela Gustafsson (8.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.1 apg), 5-11 F Bella Swan (8.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg), 5-8 G Sophie Weckstrom (6.3 ppg, 2.3 apg), 5-9 G Lauren Bodine (4.9 ppg); Hartford — 5-7 G Deanna Mayza (11.2 ppg, 3.8 apg), 6-0 F Darby Lee (9.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg), 6-0 F Janelle Harrison (6.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.3 spg), 5-11 F La’Trice Hall (4.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.3 apg), 5-10 G Katelyn Skinner (5.7 ppg)
Game notes: UMaine seeks its 11th consecutive victory in search of a share of its second straight league regular-season title. The Black Bears beat Stony Brook 60-43 on Saturday behind 30 points from Koizar. The Hawks are tied with Binghamton for fifth place. They have lost two straight, including Saturday’s 53-42 decision at New Hampshire. Mayza, Hartford’s pesky point guard, returned in limited action after missing the previous 11 games with a shoulder injury. Hartford is averaging only 50.4 ppg, while UMaine ranks first in AE and in sixth the nation, allowing just 50.5 ppg.