DANBURY, CT (Feb, 13) -  Freshman guard Drew Rolfe (Berlin, Mass.) connected on a key conventional three-point play and the Owls hit several clutch free throws in the closing minute of play in Keene State College's 100-95 comeback win over Western Conn. State University in Danbury on Saturday.   

With 1:48 to play, Keene State forward Derek D'Amours (Agawam, Mass.) was fouled on an attempted three-pointer. He stepped to the line and converted all three free-throws to put KSC up 91-89, and the Owls never again relinquished the lead. 

After sophomore Garry Robinson (Torrington, Con.) hit one of two free throws to cut the Owls lead to 92-90.  Rolfe hit a driving lay-up and a foul shot to put KSC head 95-90 with 41 seconds to play.  "I got a double screen and took it to the basket," said Rolfe about his key three-point play. 

Sophomore Steve Boudreau (North Andover, Mass.) and Rolfe hit shots from line in the closing seconds to hold of the Colonials.

"Anytime you can beat a team like Western Conn that's ranked regionally and near the top in the Little East, it's a big win, "said KSC Coach Rob Colbert.  "I was especially proud how the guys responded following a tough loss to Eastern Con. earlier in the week."

D'Amours led KSC with 31 points (one point shy of his career high) , followed by sophomore forward Cody Snow (Leyden, MA) with 22 points, and Anthony Mariano (Naugatuck, CT) with 19.  Snow, who was 12 of 13 from the line, also grabbed eight rebounds while D'Amours had seven.  Shane Norris (Burlington, VT) handed out a game-high six assists.

Sophomore DaQuan Brooks (Bristol, CT) has a super game for the Colonials, finishing with a game high 40 points. He was 11-11 from the free-throw line, grabbed five boards, and had four assists and four steals.  Also scoring in double figures for the Colonials were sophomore Robinson and freshman Ryan Pelletier (Wolcott, CT), both with 16 points.  Sophomore Leroy Mayers (Bronx, NY) led the Colonials on the boards with eight rebounds, but Keene State managed a slight 41-39 advantage in rebounding for the game.

Leading 16-12 after a Brooks layup at the 15:30 mark of the first half, WestConn soon found itself on the short end of a 32-19 score when Keene State went on a 20-3 run over the next five minutes.  The Owls nearly pushed the advantage to 20 points a few minutes later, and still led by 19 points, 55-36, when Snow buried a jumper with just over three minutes to play in the first half.  The Colonials then went on a 15-4 run to close out the half and trailed 59-51 going into the locker room at half-time.

"The first half was like a track meet," said Colbert.

WestConn continued to fight back in the opening minutes of the second half and at the 13:19 mark tied the score at 70-70.  With the momentum clearly swinging in favor of the Colonials, WestConn took its largest lead of the game, 86-81, with four minutes to play. But Keene State wouldn't be denied the key LEC win.

Keene State improves to 13-10 and remains sixth in the LEC standing with a 6-6 mark.

Ahead of KSC in fifth place, WestConn falls to 16-6  and 7-5 in the Little East Conference.

The Owls return home to face rival Plymouth State on Tuesday.