KEENE, N.H.  1/24/09 - Senior forwards Tyler Kathan (Ludlow, Vt.) and Nate Anderson (Westminster, Mass.) combined to lead the Keene State men's basketball team to a 75-66 Little East Conference win over the University of Southern Maine at Spaulding Gym   

Kathan had 20 points and 18 rebounds and Anderson finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds for the Owls (9-8, 5-2 LEC), who snapped a two game slide.

After digging themselves into large holes in their past two games, the Owls (9-8, 5-2 LEC) took command in the second half.  "We took away the shovels," said KSC Coach Rob Colbert.  "I thought we stayed aggressive, withstood some runs, and executed the defensive game plan about as well as we have all year."  

Anderson and freshman forward Cody Snow (Leyden, Mass.) had 10 points each as KSC went to the locker room nursing a 42-38 lead.  Freshman forward Sean Bergeron (Kennebunk, Me.) had 13 first half points for the Huskies.

The Owls pulled away from the Huskies early in the second half. A put back basket by Anderson and a jumper by Kathan, a two-time LEC offensive player of the week, capped an 8-0 KSC spurt that put them up by 11 (55-44) at the 14:41 mark. 

KSC maintained its lead the rest of the way, a give-and-go basket from Kathan to freshman guard Quinton McMillian (Springfield, Mass.) and a lay-up by Anderson gave the Owls a 14 point lead (66-52) with 5:42 to play.

USM made a late run at the Owls in the finals minutes of play, a running lay-up by sophomore guard Troy Jellison (Bangor, Me.) cut the Owls' lead to seven (72-65) with 1:27 to go.  However, a pair of free throws by sophomore guard Nate DiSessa (Westfield, Mass.), who finished with a season high 12 points to go with six assists, sealed the win for KSC.  

The Owls controlled the glass, finishing with a 54-32 rebounding advantage.

Bergeron, who hit eight of his 14 shots from the field, finished with a game high 23 points with nine rebounds for USM (4-13, 1-6 LEC), who have dropped six of its last seven games.

KSC leads the series 22-3 in LEC play.

On Tuesday, KSC hosts Eastern Conn. and USM returns home to face Plymouth State.

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