Preview: Maine Black Bears at Albany Great Danes ALBANY, N.Y. (Interstat) — Two America East Conference men’s basketball teams looking to build momentum for the league tournament will meet Thursday when the Albany Great Danes host the Maine Black Bears at SEFCU Arena. The matchup features teams at the bottom of the conference standings seeking a late-season spark. Albany (10-18 overall) enters with a slightly better record than Maine (7-20), but both have struggled for consistency. The Great Danes have lost two of their last three, including a 66-62 defeat at Maryland-Baltimore County on Saturday. Albany’s recent strength has been its defense, anchored by forward Okechukwu Okeke. The junior is a formidable presence, averaging 14.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks over his last seven games. He posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds in a win at Binghamton on Feb. 14 and blocked five shots in a victory at Bryant on Feb. 5. Maine arrives with a measure of confidence after snapping a three-game skid with a 61-58 road win at New Hampshire on Saturday. The Black Bears’ offense runs through guard Mekhi Gray, who is coming off one of his best performances of the season. He scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the win over the Wildcats. Gray has shown high-scoring potential, netting 17 points in a win over Vermont on Feb. 5 and 15 points in a loss at Bryant on Feb. 7. The teams’ first meeting this season on Jan. 22 was a low-scoring affair, with Maine edging Albany 52-49 in Orono. That result will likely be on the minds of the Great Danes as they seek to defend their home court and split the season series. With the America East tournament approaching, both teams are jockeying for seeding. A win for Albany would solidify its position ahead of the final weekend of the regular season. For Maine, a road victory would provide a crucial boost and a potential season sweep of the Great Danes. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST on Thursday, Feb. 26. Albany will host New Hampshire on Saturday, while Maine will travel to face Binghamton.