KEENE, N.H. 2/12/05 - Matt Hickey (Mahopac, N.Y.) scored a season-high 15 points with five three-pointers and Harley Davis (Newburyport, Mass.) finished with 13 points, including several key free throws in the closing seconds of play, to lead the Keene State College men's basketball team to a 85-78 upset victory over Western Conn. State in a Little East Conference men's basketball game played Saturday at Spaulding Gym.

Winners of seven of their last eight games the Owls improve to 14-8 (7-5 LEC). Coming into the game ranked third in New England and tied for the top spot in the LEC, WCSU (19-3, 9-3 LEC) saw its 11 game winning streak come to an end.

"For us to play like the way we did today at this stage of the season with so many young players says a lot," said KSC Coach Rob Colbert. "The key to the game was controlling the boards. Ben Maynard had a great game and I thought Sean Sullivan did a great job on Brice Assie."

KSC, which finished the game with a 45-31 advantage on the boards, got a season high 16 rebounds from Ben Maynard (Nobleboro, Me.)

"It was a big win for us to show we can play with the top teams in the conference," said Davis, who also had two big rebounds late in the game. "I think we have a chance to do what we did last season and make some noise in the tournament."

KSC held a slim 42-39 lead at the break. In an intense first half of play, the Owls were able to take its biggest lead of eight points (33-25) on a three-pointer by David Sontag (Mont Vernon, N.H.) at the 7:55 mark. The Colonials cut the deficit to 40-39 on a three-pointer by Greg Cole (Queens, N.Y.) with 2:50 to play. Davis (Newburyport, Mass.) had eight points and six rebounds for KSC while Kimani Crawford (West Hartford, Conn.) and Jay Reginatto (Torrington, Conn.) each had 10 first half points for WCSU.

KSC never gave up the lead in an equally energized second half. WCSU made several runs at the Owls. After Kevin Ritter (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) put KSC up 63-54 on a conventional three-point play, the Colonials cut the lead to three (68-65) on a three-point play by Crawford with 6:49 to play.

Back-to back three-pointers by Sontag and Hickey and a tip-in by Maynard pushed the Owls lead back up to seven (78-71) with 2:30 to go.

However, a lay-up by Assie with 52 seconds to play made it a two point game (80-78).

Sontag hit a key lay-up, a ball that hung on the rim and dropped through the net, to make it 82-78. At the other end of the court, Jeff Gene (Bridgeport, Conn.) missed a lay-up and Davis, after pulling down the rebound, was fouled. Davis hit one free throw and later connected on two more shots form the line after grabbing a rebound off a missed shot by Reginatto, to give KSC the victory.

"I struggled at the line this season, so it was nice to hit some big ones." said Davis.

Sontag and Ritter each finished with 10 points each for the Owls.

Crawford had 20 points and Cole finished with 15 points to lead WCSU.

Western Conn. defeated KSC earlier this season in Danbury.

KSC hosts Eastern Conn. on Tuesday (7:30 p.m.)