KEENE, N.H. 1/12/10 - Freshman swingman Anthony Mariano (Naugatuck, Conn.) hit consecutive three-point baskets late in the game and finished with 22 points to lead the Keene State College men's basketball team to a 96-90 come-from-behind Little East Conference victory over Western Connecticut State University at Spaulding Gym on Tuesday night.

                 Junior center John Phillips (Hartford, Conn.) gave WCSU its last lead of the game (86-85) with a lay-up with 1:41 to play. 

`               With a hand in his face, Mariano hit a fall-away three-pointer from the left of circle to put KSC up 88-86.  Sophomore center Leroy Mayers (Bronx, N.Y.) answered for the Colonials to tie the game at 88-all.

                Unfazed, Mariano came down the court and spotted up a three-ball from the same spot to give Keene State a 91-88 lead with 53 seconds to play.

                "It was awesome. The guys were looking for me and I was just spotting up and shooting," said Mariano, who was 5-7 behind the arc and pulled down a career high 11 rebounds in the game.  "This is a huge win for us, especially coming off the tough loss to R.I. College on Saturday."

                "Anthony was looking forward to this game, he was recruited heavily by Western Conn," said KSC Coach Rob Colbert.  "He knows a lot of kids on that team so he was playing with extra vengeance tonight.  He made some really big shots, some uncanny shots for a freshman.  He's been over shadowed by some other younger guys on the team, but he's definitely a rookie of the year candidate in the LEC."

                Sophomore guard Cody Snow (Leyden, Mass.), who pulled down a key defensive rebound following a missed shot by junior forward David Addy (Manchester, Conn.) with 37 seconds to go, hit four key free throws in the closing seconds of the game to secure the Owls' win.  Snow, who was 11-15 from the line finished with 19 points and seven rebounds.

                Winner of five out of its last six games, Keene State improves to 8-6 (2-2 LEC).  Western Conn.  falls to 9-3 and 2-2 in conference play.

                The Owls trailed by as many as 14 points (44-30) late in the first half.

                Freshman Drew Rolfe (Berlin, Mass.) started at the point for KSC and handed out five assists to go with a couple of steals.

                The Colonials placed five players in double figures.  Mayers finished with 22 points, sophomore guard DaQuan Brooks (Bristol, Conn.) had 15 points, sophomore forward Gary Robinson (Torrington, Conn.) and Phillips each had 15 points, and freshman forward Cody Bayne Bristol, Conn.) finished with 10 points.   Addy dished out 10 assists and sophomore forward Mark Redding (Waterbury, Conn.) added seven rebounds.

               Both teams return to LEC play on Saturday, Keene State travels to UMass-Dartmouth and Western Conn. is on the road at UMass-Boston.