Newton, MA- 1/22-/09  Jose Guitian scored 26 point and pulled down 18 rebounds to lead Lasell College to a 79-70 victory over Keene State College in non-conference men's basketball action on Thursday night.

For the second game in a row, the Owls (8-8) fell behind early and never recovered.  "I'm extremely concerned," said KSC Coach Rob Colbert about his team's recent tendency to dig themselves into a large hole.  "We've tried to address the problem and find the solution.  Right now I don't have an answer."

 Neither team scored during the first three minutes of the contest.  The stalemate was finally broken by Brad Caravoulias who penetrated from the right wing past the Owl's defender to lay in the opening points, at 17:01.  The Lasers then went up on an 11-2 run, hitting three tri-fectas in a row before Keene called a timeout. 

 After the timeout, the Owls tried to kept the game within reach on back-to-back three's from Derek D'Amours (Agawam, Mass.) and a bucket by Tavonne Reid (Bridgeport, Conn.), bringing the Owls within four points of Lasell.  However, by the 10 minute mark the Lasers extended their lead to fifteen points, after a traditional three point play by Corey Godfrey followed by Guitian, who put the Owls further in the hole when he connected on an uncontested lay-up, also marking his 1,500 point.  By halftime Lasell had built a 44-25 lead.

 The Lasers continued to increase their lead going up by as much as twenty-five before the Owls made a late rally.  At 11:23, Keene State went on a 15-0 run over a four minute stretch to come back within five points. Five straight points by senior Nate Anderson (Westminster, Mass.) and a running hook in the lane by junior guard Bryan O'Leary (Gilford, N.H.) made it 64-59 with 6:33 to play. Following a pair of costly KSC turnovers, Godfrey hit a 16-footer and Junior Sainville drained a three pointer as the Lasers (10-4) answered with nine point run to post its sixth straight win.

 "We need Anderson and (Tyler) Kathan to be more assertive and play with more energy in the first half," said Colbert.  "Our guard play in the first half was also poor with too many turnovers."

Lasell is a very good team, but we're a very good team too" said Colbert.  "We have to come to the realization how good we are."

Guitian, the Laser's senior center, scored his 1,500th career point, and is just 65 points away from becoming Lasell's all-time leading scorer. Godfrey added 21 points for the Lasers, shooting 66% from the field and 100% from the free throw line.  Caravoulias completed with twelve points and Sainval added eight.

On the Owls side, Tyler Kathan (Ludlow, VT) led their team with 20 points and grabbed 16 boards.  Anderson was close behind with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Reid closed out the night with 11 points and 4 assists.

Keene State returns to Little East play on Saturday when it hosts Southern Maine (3 p.m.).