Florida Gulf Coast of the Atlantic Sun Conf. Next UMaine Mens Opponent

Saturday, December 22 at 2:00pm at Alfond Arena, the Umaine Black Bear United Nastions Mens Basketball team entertains the Florida Gulf Coast Team boasting a 8-4 record in non-conference play.

FGC is in the Atlantic Sun Conference and has the best won and lost record in the conference among its Conference members.

However, the Atlantic Sun Conference is ranked 26th out of the 31 D1 conferences by realtimerpi.com rankings. However, do not let that fool you just because the America East Conference is ranked 21ls in the same poll.

FGC is ranked 84 in the Realtimerpi team power rankings and Maine is ranked 314 in the same power team ratings.

The FGC team has a SOS ranking 130 and UMaine has a SOS ranking of 279.

The Atlantic Sun has a RPI Conference trating of 25 of 31 while the America Least is 23 of 31 in conference RPI.

But here comes the kicker. Florida Gulf Coast in realtimerpi.com’s RPI rankings is 39th in the Nation while UMaine’s is 308,

FGC has 3 starters averaging double figures, but they matchup pretty even;y with the Black Bears in stats.

They average `8.9 fouls per game to maines 20 plus, the committ 19.5 turnovers to Maine’s 20 and they average 14.5 assists to Maine’s 16.5. They shoot 34.2% from three point land to Maine’s 23.2%.

So on paper it looks like an even matchup, except for the RPI ratings and the SOS Ratings and the team power ratings where FGC Has a good edge.

However, with the Gulf Coasters having to travel North to play in a cool Hockey Arena and leaving the warmup sunshine state to come North to Alaska (opps, Maine which well may feel like Alaska to the Floridians) may make this an even matchup.

However, Maine has got to tighten down the hatches defenively and shoot the 3 ball much better in order to upset FGC.