KEENE, N.H. 1/19/11 – The Keene State men's basketball team lost a 82-77 overtime Little East Conference barn-burner to Eastern Conn. State University at Spaulding Gym on Wednesday night. 

Jamie Kohn (Columbia, Conn.) hit a driving lay-up with 42 seconds to play to put the Warriors up for good and Nick Nedwick (Irvington, N.Y.) sealed the win with a break-away lay-up with seven seconds remaining.

"It was a great college basketball game," said KSC Coach Rob Colbert.  "I was really proud of our kids for the way they competed.  Unfortunately, someone had to lose the game."

Keene State, which has dropped its last two LEC games, falls to 10-5 (3-3 LEC). ECSU improves to 12-3 and 5-1 in conference play.

In the overtime period, junior Cody Snow (Leyden, Mass.) gave KSC a 75-73 lead when he hit a lay-up and subsequent free throw with 1:26 to go.  After senior Broderick Sawyer (Norwalk, Conn.) tied the game with a lay-up, KSC turned the ball back over to the Warriors.  Kohn took advantage of the miscue with a lay-up. KSC got the ball back, but sophomore Ryan Martin (Wayne, Me) missed a three-pointer from the top of the key.  In the rebounding action, sophomore Joe Ives (Avon, Conn.) was fouled. He made one free throw to make it 78-75 with 21 seconds to play.

After being fouled on a drive to the basket, KSC sophomore Geoff Woodberry (Hyde Park, Mass.) made a couple of free throws to cut the deficit to one point (78-77) with 10 second to go.  A lay-up by Nedwick made it a three point game 80-77.

KSC had one last chance to tie the game with three seconds on the clock, but Woodberry's long three-pointer from the right side hit off the side of the rim.  Free throws by sophomore Chris Robitaille (Canton, Conn.) accounted for the final score.

The Owls, who missed their first 12 shots, fell behind 11-2 in the early going. KSC eventually found their scoring touch, tying the game at 14-all on a break-away lay-up by Snow.

Strong defensive pressure enabled ECSU to maintain its lead the rest of the half.  A three-pointer by junior Hamilton Levy (Woodbury, Conn.) with seven seconds to go gave the Warriors a 32-25 halftime lead.

KSC knotted the score a couple of time before taking its first lead of the game (44-41) on a three-pointer from the right side by Woodberry at the 11:46 mark.

Junior Hamilton Levy (Woodbury, Conn.)  hit a three-pointer to give ECSU a 60-56 lead with 4:14 to play. Following a block by Sawyer, Nedwick raced down the court, making a conventional three-point play on a lay-up and free throw that put the Warriors up 63-58 with 2:50 to play.

Martin hit a jumper in the lane and then knocked down a three-pointer to tie the score at 63-all with 2:02 to play.  After a missed runner by Martin, sophomore Rashad Wright (Agawam, Mass.) got the put-back to make it to give KSC a 65-63 lead.

After missing on an allee-oop attempt, ECSU got the ball back and Levy hit a three-pointer that bounced up in the air and went through the hoop to tie the game (65-all) again.

In the Owls next possession, Snow missed a floater, but Wright was fouled in the rebound action. He missed his first attempt, but after a time out, connected on his second try to tie the game at 66-all.

Looking to get the go-ahead basket, Nedwick dribbled down the court but lost control, giving the ball back to the Owls with 2.7 seconds on the clock. .   

  On the inbounds play, junior Steve Boudreau (North Andover, Mass.) got the ball to Wright at center court.  He dished off to Snow whose jumper hot off the back of the rim, sending the game into overtime.

Wright finished with 14 points and eight rebounds to lead Keene State.  Snow and freshman John Boyatsis (Dover, N.H.) each had 11 points and Martin added 10 points.

Nedwick had a game high 26 point to lead five Warriors in double figures.  Levy scored 15 points, Sawyer chipped in with 14 points, Robitaille added 13 points, and Kohn had 11 points to go with a game high 14 rebounds.

ECSU hit six of its seven shots from the field, its one three-point attempt and was three for four from the line in the overtime period.

Keene State hits the road for a game at Lasell College on Thursday night.