Women’s Basketball
MAINE vs. BRYANT
Time, site: Saturday, 1 p.m., Chase Athletic Center, Smithfield, Rhode Island
Records: UMaine 5-5, Bryant 4-5
Series, last meeting: 3-3; UMaine 76-38 on 12/12/15
Key players: Maine — 5-8 G Sigi Koizar (14.5 points per game, 3.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.7 steals), 6-2 F Laia Sole (10.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.7 apg), 5-11 F Blanca Millan (7.8 ppg, 1.8 spg, 1.7 apg), 5-10 G Tanesha Sutton (5.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.2 apg), 6-1 F Fanny Wadling (3-5 ppg, 2.8 rpg), 6-0 G Naira Caceres (4.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.2 apg); Bryant — 6-1 F Alex Klein (16.7 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 1.8 apg), 5-7 G Ivory Bailey (12.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.2 apg), 6-2 C Morgan Olander (8.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.7 apg), 5-7 G Kierra Palmer (7.8 ppg, 4 rpg, 4.4 apg), 5-10 G-F Sydney Holloway (9.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg), 5-8 G Naomi Ashley (2.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg), 5-11 G-F Stephanie Lesko (1.7 ppg)
Game notes: UMaine has hit 25, 3-pointers in its last three games. Brosseau has at least one 3-pointer in every game. UMaine has won two in a row while Bryant has lost five of its last six. Three of Bryant’s losses have come by eight points or less, including a 68-62 loss at Massachusetts last Saturday. Bryant is 35th in the country in rebounding margin (plus-8.8) so the Black Bears are going to have to be tenacious under the boards. Klein is 16th in the country in free-throw attempts (65) and 11th in made free throws (52). UMaine must do a good job neutralizing Klein and limiting Bryant’s offensive rebounds and second-chance opportunities. UMaine has received 71.2 percent of its scoring from its newcomers. In its five wins, UMaine has limited its opponents to 46.6 ppg and forced 17.4 turnovers.
Men’s Basketball
QUINNIPIAC VS. MAINE
Time, site: Sunday, 1 p.m., Cross Insurance Arena, Portland
Records: Quinnipiac 3-6, UMaine 4-6
Series, last meeting: Quinnipiac leads 5-3; Maine 98-95 on 12/29/15
Key players: UMaine — 6-2 G Wes Myers (14.1 points, 4.3 rebounds per game), 6-6 G Ilker Er (10.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, .406 3-pt. FG percentage), 6-7 F Andrew Fleming (9.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg), 6-7 F Marko Pirovic (6.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg); Quinnipiac — 6-9 F Chaise Daniels (12.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg), 6-3 G Daniel Harris (9.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg), 6-0 G Reggie Oliver (9.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
Outlook: UMaine seeks its third consecutive in its final in-state game of 2016. Coach Bob Walsh’s Black Bears are coming off back-to-back wins over Holy Cross and Dartmouth, the latter victory fueled by Evans’ career-high 31 points, including 27 in the second half. Quinnipiac’s nonconference schedule includes a 75-57 loss at Holy Cross in its most recent game last Sunday. Coach Tom Moore’s Bobcats, members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, are 1-1 against America East opponents this season, falling to Vermont 94-70 in their season opener on Nov. 12 and defeating Hartford 99-79 on Dec. 7. Both of those games were played on the Quinnipiac campus in Hamden, Connecticut. UMaine follows its clash with the Bobcats by playing the third of its four guarantee games of the season Tuesday at Providence. The Black Bears will receive $70,000 to play the Friars on their home court. Providence is 8-2 overall, 7-0 at home.