KEENE, N.H. 2/12/11 – For the second time this season the Keene State College men's basketball team played giant-killer, knocking off the league-leading Colonials of Western Conn. State University 82-78 in Little East Conference action at Spaulding Gym on Saturday. Earlier this season, the Owls knocked off the Colonials 81-76 in Danbury.

Sophomore guard Ryan Martin (Wayne, Me.), who had 15 points, hit several clutch free throws down the stretch to lead Keene State to the upset win.  Junior Derek D'Amours (Agawam, Mass.) also finished in double figures for the Owls with 14 points. Sophomore Nicco DeMasco (Richmond, N.H.) tied his career high, finishing with a game high 13 rebounds to go with eight points. 

"We match up pretty well against Western Conn. and I think our players executed the game plan very well," said KSC Coach Rob Colbert.  "We got some nice contributions from kids who haven't been playing great of late.  Overall, I'm happy with the effort, but hopefully we understand that it's got to mean something with a good effort on Tuesday."

Freshman guard Jengodi Gates (New Haven, Conn.) had a game high 17 points to lead the Colonials.

With the win, KSC (15-8, 7-5) put the brakes on a three-game losing streak and solidifies its hold on the fourth spot and a home game in the first-round of the LEC tournament.  Western Conn. (19-4, 9-3 LEC), which drops two games in a row for the first time this season, moves into a tie for the top spot in the LEC with Rhode Island College and Eastern Conn.

Sophomore Rashad Wright (Agawam, Mass.) opened the game with a thunderous dunk for the Owls, who jumped out to a 14-1 lead on a conventional three-point play by Martin (Wayne, Me.) Later, Martin had the former Globetrotter Marques Haynes play of the game. Diving for a loose ball near the press table, he was somehow able to maintain a dribble and ended up the possession with a jumper that put KSC up 30-18 with 7:08 to go.

WCSU got the Owls lead down to single digits (38-31) on a drive by junior Mark Redding (Waterbury, Conn.) in the final minute, but a pair of free throws by DeMasco with a couple of seconds on the clock sent KSC to the locker room with a 40-31 lead.

The Colonials kept on chipping away at the Owls lead in the second half.  Redding made a steal off a KSC inbounds play and hit a lay-up to cut the deficit to 48-44.  Five straight points by Gates gave the Colonials its first lead (49-48) at the 14:33 mark.

KSC regained the lead later in the half.  A three-pointer by junior Anthony Mariano (Naugatuck, Conn.) put the Owls back up 60-53 with 10:15 to go.

The game would be decided in the finals two minutes of play.  Redding hit a pair from the line to cut KSC's lead to 72-70 with 1:49 to go.  Wright connected on one of two from the line to make it 73-70.  Following a KSC turnover, senior Wilburt Jarrett (Hartford, Conn.), who finished with 11 points, hit a drive to make it 73-72.  KSC won the game at the line.  Martin was sent to the stripe and made both his shots to give KSC a 75-72 lead with 1:11 to play. D'Amours and sophomore Ryan Bourgeois (Bedford, N.H.) each made a pair of free throws to put KSC up 79-72 with 40 seconds to play. After a three-pointer by Gates , junior Steve Boudreau (North Andover, Mass.) made one of two from the line to give KSC a 80-75 lead.  Jarrrett came right back with a three-pointer from the top of the key to make it 80-78 with 21 seconds to go. 

With time winding down, WCSU fouled Martin with eight seconds to play.  Martin, who was seven-for-seven from the line in the game and leads Division III in free throws pct. (77-79, 97.5%) hit both his shots to make it 82-78.  Jarrett missed a three in the closing seconds and KSC was able to hold for the win.  

"We got the ball to the right guys at the end," said Colbert.

Freshman Taeshaun Jackson (Middletown, Conn.) had 13 points and Redding finished with 10 points for WesternConn.

KSC shot 47% from the field (25-53) and knocked down 30 of its 42 free throw shots (71%).  They won the battle of the boards 49-38.  

Both teams return to LEC play on Tuesday, the Owls travel to Plymouth State and Western Conn. hosts Eastern Conn.