A basketball doubleheader will hit the RAC Arena this Saturday, January 17. The excitement begins at 4:30 p.m., when the women host last-place Maine. At 7:30 p.m. the men will take on fourth-ranked Hartford. Both UMBC teams look to improve to .500 in the America East Conference.

UMBC basketball has had difficulty on both sides of the gender divide this season. Unable to maintain the momentum of a 7-2 start, the women have lost five of their last seven games. Against the Black Bears, who stand at 0-3 in the conference and 2-14 overall, the Retrievers have a decent chance to add another tally to the win column.

In spite of a promising start, the men have also gone 5-2 in their last seven games. Coming off an away loss to New Hampshire, the Retrievers, who are 4-3 at home, will take on a Hartford program that has lost its only in-conference away game (to slightly higher-ranked New Hampshire) and stands at 2-9 away overall. The Hawks will enter the RAC with a 2-1 America East record and off a close 76-71 win against Maine.

Can’t make it to the RAC this Saturday? Retriever believers (and, for that matter, agnostics and non-believers) can enjoy Fox sports weblogs, live stats, and live UMBCretrievers.tv video by following links on the Retriever athletics site.