Maine at Northern Illinois, 4 p.m.
The Black Bears commence the 2008-09 season by taking on the Huskies in the 100 Club Classic in Kennesaw, Ga... Mark Socoby, a third-team all-conference selection last season, scored 31 points and canned nine 3-pointers in his last game, the opening round of the America East Championship.
George Washington at Boston University, 7 p.m.
The Terriers, the preseason favorite in America East, kick off their 100th season of basketball by hosting the Colonials at Agganis Arena... Jack Leaman, a member of the 1958 Elite Eight squad, will have have his number retired posthumously before the game... Boston U. fell to GW 69-56 last season.
Maryland Eastern Shore at Stony Brook, 7 p.m.
The Seawolves hosts the Hawks at Pritchard Gymnasium... SBU brings back Demetrius Young, who shot 63.8 percent from the floor last season and ranked sixth with 6.7 rebouns per game... UMES is coached by Frankie Allen, who previously was the top assistant at UMBC for two season.
Quinnipiac at Hartford, 7 p.m. (NESN)
The Hawks, who reached the America East Championship game for thei fiirst time last season, open their 2008-09 campaign against the instate-rival Bobcats... Joe Zeglinski (16.2 ppg) was a first-team all-conference selection last season... Jon Iati, a 1,000-point scorer at Albany, begins his first season as director of basketball operations at Quinnipiac.
Albany at No. 23/25 Villanova, 8 p.m.
The Great Danes travel to Philadelphia to take on the Wildcats... Villanova is ranked 23rd in the Preseason AP Poll and 25th in the Preseason ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll... Albany welcomes in eight fresh faces, including highly touted Virginia transfer Will Harris.