Monday, November 5th, 4:00 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: The FedEx Forum (18,400) -- Memphis, Tennessee. Television: None. Home Record: Maine 0-0, Richmond 0-0. Away Record: Maine 0-0, Richmond 0-0. Neutral Record: Maine 0-0, Richmond 0-0. Conference Record: Maine 0-0, Richmond 0-0. Series Record: First-ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: The Division I season gets underway today, when the Maine Black Bears and the Richmond Spiders hook up in the first round of the 2k Sports College Hoops Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer. The survivor of this bout will move on to face either third-ranked Memphis or Tennessee-Martin tomorrow in the Memphis Regional finals. The Bears didn't have a great season in 2006-07, as they posted just a 12-18 ledger. Things might not get any better this time around, considering Maine welcomes back just one starter and only five letterwinners from that team. As for Richmond, it started four freshmen on a frequent basis last season and that helps explain the team's dismal 8-22 finish. The good news though, is those freshmen gained valuable experience last season and that should have the Spiders competing for a winning campaign in 2007-08. Today's game marks the first-ever meeting between Maine and Richmond on the hardwood.

The only starter that is welcomed back for Maine is Junior Bernal, a 6-5 guard that averaged 9.9 ppg and 2.8 apg as a freshman last season. Bernal is a versatile player that could emerge as a big time scorer for the Bears in 2007-08. Joining Bernal at the perimeter will be 6-5 Mark Socoby, who chipped in 6.9 ppg coming off the bench as a freshman last season. In the frontcourt, Philippe Tchekane Bofia is clearly the team's most experienced player and he will be asked to do a lot this season. The 6-6 forward averaged 7.4 ppg and 3.7 rpg a year ago and figures to improve on those numbers with an increase in playing time in 2007-08. The team's other options in the frontcourt come in the form of freshmen Troy Barnies (6-7) and Sean Costigan (6-7), whom will surely go through some growing pains before they get better.

The Spiders run a Princeton style offense, so don't expect a lot of points from this team, which averaged just 60.6 ppg a year ago. Richmond had just one player average in double-digit points last season and that was freshman Dan Geriot. The 6-9 center has a nice touch around the basket, averaging 11.9 ppg, but he isn't much of rebounder (3.1 ppg) and that is an area Richmond needs to improve on after being outrebounded by over 10 boards per game last season. Oumar Sylla (6.8 ppg) and Jarhon Giddings (3.3 ppg) will join Geriot in the frontcourt and now that both players are fully healthy, they should be able to improve on last season's production. At the perimeter, the Spiders are hoping David Gonzalvez and Ryan Butler can build off the experience they gained as freshmen starters a year ago. Gonzalvez finished as the team's second leading scorer (9.6 ppg) last season, while Butler chipped in with 6.9 ppg.

Richmond is the more experienced team and it should be able to outlast Maine behind a solid frontcourt led by Geriot.

Predicted Outcome

Richmond 64, Maine 52