Men’s Basketball
MAINE vs. UMASS LOWELL
Time, site: Wednesday, 7 p.m., Cross Insurance Center, Bangor
Records: UMaine (4-13, 0-2 America East), UMass Lowell 7-9 (2-0)
Series, last meeting: UMass Lowell leads 8-3, UML 108-95 (OT) on 2/11/2016
Key players: UMaine — 6-2 G Wes Myers (15.6 points, 3.5 rebounds per game), 6-7 F Andrew Fleming (10.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg), 6-7 F Marko Pirovic (7.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg), 6-3 G Ryan Bernstein (4.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.1 assists per game; UML — 6-2 G-F Jahad Thomas (17.3 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 4.1 apg), 6-6 F Tyler Livingston (12.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg), 6-1 G Matt Harris (12.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg), 6-3 G Ryan Jones (10.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.6 apg)
Outlook: UMaine opened its conference schedule with losses to two of four unbeaten teams (Vermont and Maryland Baltimore County) and this week faces the other two, beginning with a UMass Lowell team coming off victories over UAlbany and Binghamton by a combined 10 points. The River Hawks feature Thomas, who scored a career-high 28 points during a 79-75 win at Binghamton. Thomas also leads the conference in rebounding for UMass Lowell, which has three straight wins and has five wins in its last six outings. Junior Myers has averaged 29 ppg in UMaine’s first two AE outings on 20-of-36 shooting (56 percent) from the field and a perfect 15-of-15 effort from the foul line. UMaine tri-captain Calixte is expected to be sidelined for the rest of the season due to the broken foot he suffered in late November. The junior returned to play in three games before sitting out Sunday’s matchup. Fleming and sophomore forward Ilija Stojiljkovic, are listed as day to day.
Women’s Basketball
MAINE vs. UMASS LOWELL
Time, site: Wednesday, 7 p.m., Costello Athletic Center, Lowell, Massachusetts
Records: UMaine 8-9 (1-1 America East), UMass Lowell 3-12 (0-2)
Series, last meeting: UMaine leads 6-0, UMaine 73-46 on 2/11/16
Key players: Maine — 5-8 G Sigi Koizar (14 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists per game), 6-2 F Laia Sole (9.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.1 apg), 5-11 F Blanca Millan (7.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.6 steals), 5-8 G Julie Brosseau (7.4 ppg, 34 three-pointers), 5-10 G Tanesha Sutton (6.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.6 apg), 6-1 F Fanny Wadling (4.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg); UML — 5-11 F Kayla Gibbs (12.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.9 apg), 5-10 G Nicole Hayner (9.2 ppg, 2 rpg, 2.2 apg, 29 three-pointers), 5-9 G Megan Hendrick (9.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg), 5-3 G Markayla Sherman (5.6 ppg), 5-8 G Asia Mitchell-Owens (5.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.3 apg)
Game notes: The Black Bears snapped a four-game losing streak with an 72-40 win over UMBC on Saturday while the River Hawks lost to Binghamton 58-48 despite Gibbs’ 16-point, 18-rebound, 6-assist performance. UMaine faces a River Hawks team that has averaged 24.9 turnovers per game. Opponents have scored 56 points off UML turnovers the past two games. Koizar is still nursing a leg injury and is likely to miss her third straight game. Brosseau filled in nicely as the point guard with 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and just one turnover against UMBC. Brosseau has been a double-digit scorer in her last five games. Associate head coach Amy Vachon will continue to call the shots with head coach Richard Barron on medical leave.