Brian Hodges caught fire a little early this year.

UMBC’s junior guard already has two of the most memorable performances in America East championship history under his belt, with a 33-point performance in 2005 and a 28-point reprise in 2006.

But this season, the soft-spoken junior finished out the year averaging 19.7 points per game in the last three games, raising his season average to 15.1 points per game ‘ off the bench.

On Jan. 3 at Binghamton, with his Retrievers trailing by a point with 16.6 seconds remaining, Hodges hit a game-winning layup, setting the tone for an impressive 7-9 season for the Retrievers, picked to finish eighth in the conference.

‘I’m entering the game as I do any other game,’ Hodges said. ‘Me? I’m just going to play my best, and hope for the best.’

The teams split their regular-season meetings this year, with Maine winning a convincing 70-56 decision on Jan. 16, and UMBC earning revenge on their Senior Night with an 80-77 victory.

The Black Bears enter the tournament as the No. 4 seed under head coach Ted Woodward. They are led by senior guard Kevin Reed, who leads the Black Bears with 14.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.

Maine is coming off a two-point home win against Stony Brook to end their regular season at 7-9.

‘I think our chances are pretty good, especially if we play the way we’re capable of playing,’ Hodges said.

Prediction: Hodges has made a name for himself in the America East tournament with a 33-point game and a 28-point game so far in his career. He’ll add another chapter to his legacy this year, scoring at least 25 in this one.