Maine does not appear to be a mainstream men’s basketball program.

Richard Barron coached women’s teams for 21 seasons before being named head coach of the Black Bears’ men’s program last year. Edniesha Curry is the only woman serving as a full-time assistant coach for an NCAA Division I men’s basketball team. And 12 of 15 Bears are international students.

The Bears’ most unique quality is an inverted offense in which guards and wings like to back-back-back their way into the post, a tactic that could be problematic for Hawaii in today’s meeting in the Stan Sheriff Center. Tip-off is at 5:05 p.m.

“They post from every position,” said Jabari Trotter, UH’s assistant coach in charge of scouting. “They’re big. They’re long. They’re physical. It’s going to be a great challenge for us, especially our guards and wings. They’re not used to playing post defense consistently. They’re going to have to do that, too.”

The Bears, who attack out of three-guard lineup, prefer a deliberate pace. On defense, they switch between a zone and a helping man to man, in which they will send one or two defenders as covers.

“They want to grind out possessions,” said Trotter, likening Maine’s approach to Virginia’s. “They want the final score to be 55-50.”

The Bears average 57.3 points. Forward Andrew Fleming, one of two seniors, leads with 16.5 points per game.

“They’re a unique cover for us because they have five skilled guys on the floor at the same time,” said UH head coach Eran Ganot, who will be on the bench for the first time this season after being on medical leave for 51 days. “They have five guys who can dribble, pass, and shoot, and five guys who can post. It’s a little different with the size and versatility they have at each position in terms of playing inside and out.”

Barron has made an easy transition to coaching the men’s game.

“In my 30 years (of coaching), there’s a bigger generational difference than there is a gender difference,” Barron said. “Going back to the men, I see more similarities between men’s and women’s basketball now than it was when I started. That’s a positive thing. That’s a credit to women’s basketball, and how it’s improved and evolved the last 30 years. And it’s also a reflection of societal values how many don’t see the gender differences the same way.”

Barron said it was a “no-brainer” to hire Curry, whose resume includes working with the NBA’s Assistant Coaches Program. “She’s a great basketball mind, and really good instructor, teacher and tactician, as well as being a consigliere,” Barron said.

The Bears will be the ’Bows’ final nonconference opponent before opening Big West play with the Jan. 9 road game against Cal State Fullerton. The ’Bows are coming off the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, during which they went 1-2 in a four-day span. Eddie Stansberry, the ’Bows’ best outside shooter, went 2-for-28 on 3s during the tournament.

“Being a shooter, you’re going to have games where they all go in, maybe some go in, and you’re going to have games where they don’t go in,” Stansberry said. “Unfortunately, the Diamond Head Classic, it wasn’t my tournament to see the shots go in. You could see the field-goal percentages, you could see how I shot the ball in all three games. It happens. I still have the same confidence. I took as many shots as I wanted to.”

Stansberry said he won’t let a poor-shooting performance affect his defense, rebounding or creating shots for others. “I don’t plan on shooting like that again,” Stansberry said.

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NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL

>> Who: Maine (3-9) vs. Hawaii (8-5)

>> When: 5:05 p.m. today

>> Where: Stan Sheriff Center

>> TV: Spectrum Sports

>> Radio: KKEA 1420-AM