KEENE, N.H.  1/27/09 - Senior forward Tyler Kathan (Ludlow, Vt.) scored 17 of his team high 21 points in the second half and pulled down 14 rebounds and freshman forward Cody Snow (Leyden, Mass.) registered his first double-double of his career (12 points and 10 rebounds) to lead the Keene State men's basketball team to a 73-63 Little East Conference victory over Eastern Conn. State University at Spaulding Gym on Tuesday night.

With the win, KSC improves to 10-8 (6-2 LEC) and remain third in the LEC standings.  Eastern falls to 8-10 (3-5 LEC).

The Owls went up 20-7 midway in the first half when Kathan fed freshman forward Cody Snow (Leyden, Mass.) for a slam.

The Warriors came back to outscore the Owls 15-2 over the next 4:25 to pull within two points (24-22) on consecutive lay-ups off the break by sophomore guard Courtney Simmons (Middletown, Conn.) with 5:55 to go.

A put-back by Simmons, who had 11 first half points, gave ECSU a 31-30 halftime lead.

Keene State went inside out of the break, using an 11-2 run capped by a lay-up by senior Nate Anderson (Westminster, Mass.) to pull ahead 41-33 at the 17:30 mark.

The Warriors would cut the lead back to three points (43-40) on a drive by Simmons.  Minutes later, Kathan grabbed and offensive rebound and scored to give KSC a nine point lead (51-42) at the 12:20 mark.

Snow's second slam of the game, off a feed from Anderson made it a 10 point game and a fall-away shot clock beating lay-up by freshman guard Tavonne Reid (Bridgeport, Conn.) put the Owls up 58-45 with 7:30 to play.  

"I just tried to attack the rim a little more tonight," said Snow, who had three dunks in the game.  "We're always trying to get the ball inside to Nate and Tyler. When we do that good things happen."

A baseline three-pointer  by freshman forward Derek D'Amours (Agawam, Mass.) gave KSC a 61-49 lead with just over six minutes to play.

Anderson had 15 points and Reid finished the game with 11 points for the Owls, who had a 41-30 advantage in rebounding.

Simmons finished with a game high 27 points for the Warriors.  Junior guard Edwin Ortiz chipped in with 12 points.

On Saturday, Keene State hosts R.I. College and Eastern entertains UMass-Boston.