KEENE, N.H. 11/15/08- Keene State opened up its 2008-09 season with a 81-70 loss to Williams College at Spaulding Gym on Saturday.

Senior forward Tyler Kathan (Ludlow, Vt.), a D3Hoops.com preseason All-American, led the Owls with 20 points and eight rebounds.  Junior guard Bryan O'Leary (Goffstown, N.H.) chipped in with a career high 12 points.

Senior guard Kevin Snyder (Littleton, Co.) had a game high 24 points and junior center Joe Geoghegan (Cape Elizabeth, Me.) finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Ephs, who played their first game under new coach Mike Maker.

Debuting with nine new freshmen players on its roster, Keene State, playing an up-tempo style of play, stayed with Williams in the early going.  Williams, held scoreless for the first 4:39 of the game, took its biggest lead of the first half on a jumper by Snyder at the 7:26 mark.  A hoop by junior center Ethan Timmons-Schiffman (Wilmington, Del.) enabled the Ephs to go in the locker room with a 37-28 lead.   Snyder had 13 first half points for Williams.  Kathan led KSC with nine points.

Williams pulled away from the Owls in the second half. A baseline drive by Timmins-Schiffman opened its lead up to 17 points (54-37) with 14:29 to play.

The Owls got the lead down to 10 points (61-51) on a turnaround jumper by Kathan with 9:16 to go. Williams pushed its lead back up to 17 points on a jumper from the top of the circle by junior guard Blake Schultz (Atherton, Ca.) with 6:55 to play.

KSC made one last run at the Ephs. A drive by freshman forward Cody Snow (Leyden, Mass.) and free throw made it a an eight point game (75-68) with 3:04 to play. After a steal by Snow, sophomore forward Cameron Fisk (Keene, N.H.) hit a put back shot to make it 77-70 at the 2:15 mark.   

"It was my first game and there were a little bit of jitters and coach told me to be confident and trust my team," said freshman point guard Tavonne Reid.  "Even though we lost, I'm proud we competed.  We're a young group and have a long way to go and we'll be a much better team."

Kathan said he tried to take pressure of the younger members of the team.  "I expected to win, 'he said. "We did some really good things and just have to keep building upon it."

"You never want to lose a game, especially an opening game, but with the new faces and the new look to play a big game that early and find ways to complete and not quit was a huge step," said KSC Coach Rob Colbert. "We have some things to clean up, but we found a way to compete and battle and showed a lot of heart tonight."

Williams hit 29 of 36 shots from the line and had a wide 51-35 advantage on the boards.

Keene State hosts Springfield College on Tuesday 7:30 p.m.