KEENE, N.H. 1/8/02- Chris Timson (Beverly, MA.) had 18 points and nine rebounds and Derek Swenson (Attleboro, MA.) finished with 17 points to lead a balanced Owl attack in Keene State College's 87-78 Little East Conference men's basketball victory over Western Connecticut in Keene on Tuesday.

Playing its first game in a month and without top-scorer Dave Stantial (Beverly, MA.), who missed the game with an ankle sprain, the Owls still managed to extend their winning streak to five games. KSC's 8-1 (3-0 LEC) start tied the program's best start with the 1998-99 team. "I thought it was a huge win for us and showed the rest of the players they can win without Dave (Stantial)," said KSC Coach Rob Colbert. "We were a little rusty at the start, but bucked down and got the job done."

Kyle Purinton (Northwood, N.H.) (15 points) and Dave Cudworth (Sanford, Me.) also were double-figure scorers for KSC.

Leoanrd Rinas (Bristol, Conn,.) who led the Colonials with 20 points, scored his 1,000th career point early in the second half. Kevin Matthews (Ossing, NY) and Mark Carter (Peekskill, NY) also chipped in with 13 points each for WCSU (7-5, 1-3 LEC) which had its four game winning streak come to an end.

Leading 36-31 at the half, the Owls couldn't shake the pesky Colonials until the closing minutes of the game. KSC took its biggest lead 15 points (71-56) on a basket by Cudworth with 7:33 to go. WCSU closed the deficit to just four points (77-73) on a three-pointer by Rinas at the 1:38 mark, but they would get no closer. Swenson hit six free throws in the closing minute to maintain the Owls' lead.

The game marked the debut of freshman Harley Davis (Newburyport, MA.), who missed the first eight games with a thumb injury, and the return of Alphonse Michalski (Northampton) to the Owls line-up this season.

Keene State will host Middlebury College in a non-conference game at Spaulding Gym on Thursday (7:30 p.m.).