KEENE, N.H. 11/30/10 – The Keene State men's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season, a 85-82 setback to Springfield College at Spaulding Gym on Tuesday night.

              After winning their first four games of the season, the Owls fall to 4-1. With the win, Springfield improves to 2-3.

                The game was decided in the final seconds of regulation play.  After KSC sophomore guard Anthony Mariano (Naugatuck, Conn.) hit a three-pointer to tie the game (82-all) with 6.5 seconds to go, senior guard Darvis Rankins (Boston, Mass.) hit the game-winning shot, a three-pointer from the right-side of the lane, to give the Pride the victory.

                The Owls played catch-up all night.  They fell behind 16-6 following a jumper by Rankins, who had 12 first half points for Springfield. KSC rallied behind freshman John Boyatsis (Dover, N.H.)and Mariano to get back into the game.  Boyatsis hit three-point baskets from each corner of the baseline, his second giving KSC its first lead 28-26 at the 5:19 mark.  Mariano scored on a put-back to push the Owls' lead up to seven points (37-30) with three minutes to play in the half. Pride junior Ryan Coburn (West Warwick, R.I.) scored on a rebound in the closing minute to cut the Owls lead to 39-38 at the half.  Senior Matt Cavalieri (West Warwick, R.I.) had 14 first half points for the Pride.

                KSC followed the same script as the first half, falling behind 51-42 early in the second half after a drive by Rankins.  KSC came back to tie the game (55-55) on a turn-around jumper by sophomore Rashad Wright (Agawam, Mass.), who utilized his height advantage around the paint.

KSC tied the game several times before taking a 71-70 lead with 5:17 to go on a three-point shot by junior Derek D'Amours (Agawam, Mass.), who was playing his first game of the season for the Owls.   

                 Springfield took the lead right back behind Rankins who hit a couple of jumpers to make it 80-76 with 1:24 to play. A top of the key basket by Coburn gave the Pride an 82-77 lead with 57 second to go. 

                Sophomore Geoff Woodbury (Hyde Park, Mass.) made it a one possession game (82-79) with a couple of free throws with 34 seconds to play.  KSC got the ball right back on a steal by sophomore Eric Fazio (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.).  After D'Amours missed a three-point shot from the left corner, sophomore Ryan Martin (Wayne, Maine) grabbed the rebound.  The Owls worked the ball around the perimeter and got it in the hands of Mariano, who hit a three pointer from the right of the arc to tie the game 82-all with 6.5 seconds left on the clock. 

                Following a time-out, Rankins, standing alone on the right side, hit the winning three-point hoop with one-tenth of a second to play in regulation to give the Pride the victory.  

                "We broke down defensively and left a good shooter wide open and he knocked it down," said Mariano, who finished with a team high 19 points, including four three-pointers for KSC.  "I thought we were a little lackadaisical throughout the game.  "We can't underestimate anyone. They came in 1-3 and I think we were a little high on ourselves and they knocked us down."

                Three other players scored in double-figures for the Owls.  Boyatsis, who also drained four three-pointers, had 13 points and Fazio and Woodberry each had 10 points.

                Rankins and Cavalieri each finished with 24 points for the Pride, who shot 56% (32-57) from the field.  Cavalieri also had a game high eight rebounds.  Coburn, who connected on nine of his 11 shots from the field, added 18 points.

                Keene State hosts Tufts University on Thursday (7:30 p.m.).