'KEENE, N.H. 2/24/06- Sean Sullivan (Athol, Mass.) had a game-high 28 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead top seed Keene State College to a 86-77 victory over fifth seed UMass-Dartmouth in a semifinal game of the Little East Conference men's basketball tournament at Spaulding Gym on Friday night.

Keene State (20-6) will play second seed UMass-Boston in the championship game on Saturday (3 p.m.).  The Beacons defeated third seed Rhode Island College 76-70 in the first semifinal game.  The Owls advance to the LEC finals for the second time in three years.  The Owls captured the 2004 title with a victory over Plymouth State. It was KSC's first tournament win over the Corsairs.  UMD defeated the Owls in the 1998 and 2001 finals, and eliminated KSC in last year's quarterfinals.  

Keene State went on 13-2 late in the first half to pull away from the Corsairs.  A three-pointer by Tyler Kathan (Ludlow, Vt.) gave the Owls' their biggest lead 46-29 at the 3:38 mark. UMD came back to cut the lead to nine (50-41) at halftime.   Sean Sullivan (Athol, Mass.) had 14 points and Kathan added 11 first half points for KSC.  Reece Freeman (Cambridge, Mass.) topped UMD with 12 first half points.

The Owls increased their lead in the second half.  A three-pointer from the left corner by Matt Hickey (Mahopac, N.Y.) gave KSC a 19 point lead (68-49) at the 8:49 mark. The Corsairs came storming back cutting the Owls' lead to four on three occasions, the latest on a lay-up by Stephane Aberlard (Brockton, Mass.) with 2:06 to play.

Sullivan answered with several key baskets.

"They're a tough team," said Sullivan.  "We just tried to pound the ball down low, we had a little mismatch down low and we were able to hang on for the win." We have trouble matching up with UMass-Boston, so we'll see what happens tomorrow."

Kevin Ritter (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) hit a pair of key three throws to give KSC a 77-71 lead with 1:36 to go and the Owls hit eight -of 12 free throws in the closing minute on the way to holding off the Corsairs. 

Hickey scored 16 points and Kathan and Ritter both finished with 11 points each for KSC.

UMD had five players in double figures; Freeman led the way with 15, Dan Holbrook (Lexington, Mass.) had 13 points, A.J. Taveres (New Bedford, Mass.) added 12 points, Aberlard finished with 11 points, and Paul Pawlowski had 10 points.

LITTLE EAST CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

SEMIFINAL #1: UMASS-BOSTON EDGES R.I. COLLEGE 76-70

KEENE, N.H. 2/24/06- Tony Barros (Dorchester, Mass.) had 15 points and Amigo Paniagua (Santiago, DR), James Hall (Jacksonville, Fla.), and Rodney Bennett (Boston, Mass.) added 14 points each to lead second seeded UMass-Boston to a 76-70 victory over third seed Rhode Island College in the first of two Little East Conference men's basketball tournament games played Friday night at Keene State's Spaulding Gym.

UMass-Boston (17-10) advances to the finals for the first time since the 1996-97 season.  It will play the winner of the Keene State-UMass-Dartmouth game in Saturday's Championship game. RIC (17-9) will now await a possible ECAC Tournament berth.

The Anchormen used an 11-1 spurt midway in the first half to go up by 12 (35-23) on a lay-up by Kamari Williams (Springfield, Mass.) at the 3:09 mark.  The Beacons came back to score the last six points of the half to cut RIC's halftime lead to 35-32.  Tirrell Hill (Bronx, N.Y.) had eight first half points for RIC while Paniagua countered with eight points for UMB.

The Anchormen scored the first 10 points of the second half to go up 45-32 on a three-pointer by Brian Stanko (Swansea, Mass.) at the 17:54 mark.  But the game would come down to the wire.

UMB took its first lead of the second half (66-65) on a floater by Eric Bateman (Glassboro, N.J.) at the 4:09 mark.  With seconds left on the shot clock, Kevin Payette (Woonsocket, R.I.) hit a lay-up to give RIC back the lead (67-66).  Rodney Bennett (Boston, Mass.) hit a pair of free throws to put UMB back on top 68-67. On their next possession, Paniagua hit a lay-up to give the Beacons a three-point lead (70-67) with 44 seconds left.  Paniagua was fouled on the play, but missed the free throw. UMB regained possession  off the rebound, and A.J. Titus (Roxbury, Mass.) hit one of two free throws to push UMB's lead to four (71-67) with 40 seconds to go.  Barros stole the ball on the next possession and was fouled.  He made one free throw to make it 72-67. 

Payette hit one of two free throws for RIC to make it a four point game.  But free throws by Barros, Paniagua, and Titus in the closing seconds sealed the win for the Beacons.   

Payette and Hill finished with 13 points each for RIC.  RIC had A 43-33 advantage on the boards but hit just four of 27 three-point attempts.