NORTH DARTMOUTH, MASS. 1/21/12 – Junior Ryan Martin (Wayne, Maine) scored a career high 34 points as the Keene State College men's basketball team hung on for a 70-68 Little East Conference victory over UMass-Dartmouth at the Tripp Center in North Dartmouth on Saturday.

            Martin said he expected a tougher game after the Owls rolled to a 92-55 win over UMD earlier this season at home.  "We knew they were going to be a tough team and it wasn't going to be like the first game.  But we found a way to get a win," he said.

            The Owls (12-4, 6-1 LEC), winners of five of their last six games, remain second in the LEC standings behind Eastern Conn.  UMass-Dartmouth dips to 8-9 and 2-5 in league play.

            Despite Martin's 22 first half points, the Owls found themselves trailing 41-36 at intermission.  Senior Lance Greene (Dorchester, Mass.) had a huge first half for the Corsairs with 18 points. 

            KSC went on an 8-2 run out of the break to get back in the game.  It was a see-saw game the rest of the way with both teams unable to pull away.  Martin hit a baseline jump shot with 2:12 to play to give KSC a 67-66 lead. "I was trying to be aggressive and luckily things opened up for me and I made some shots," said Martin, who was 11-16 from the field, 4-6 from behind the arc, while hitting all eight of his free throw attempts. 

In the Owls' next possession senior Cody Snow (Leyden, Mass.) hit a key turn-around jumper in the lane to give KSC a three point lead (69-66) with 1:22 to go. "It was a good feeling, I haven't played in a couple of games, so it was good to get out there and play again," he said.

            A jumper by UMD freshman Alex Rodrigues (Fall River, Mass.) cut the lead to 69-68.

            Following a KSC turnover and a timeout by the Corsairs, UMD senior Alex Klepadlo (Bernardston, Mass.) missed a jumper.  A free throw by freshman Tom Doyle (Wallingford, Conn.) gave KSC a two point lead (70-68) with eight seconds to play.

            After making a steal at half court, senior Ollie Hunter (Bedford, Mass.) was fouled and went to the line.  He missed his first shot and intentionally missed his second attempt.  By the time UMD got the ball and called a time out just one tenth of a second remained on the clock.

            Colbert inserted his big men into the game, putting 6-8 sophomore center Montel Wolcott (New Haven, Conn.) on the ball at the side of the Keene State basket to force a high throw or to get a tip.  Centers Nicco DeMasco (Richmond, N.H.) and Rashad Wright (Agawam, Mass.) took their positions under the UMD basket.  The long inbounds pass was caught by Hunter as time expired on the court." 

            "It's a tough place to play," said Martin.  "After the game, Coach (Colbert) told us that no one on the team had won a game down here."

            The Owls had lost their last four games at the Tripp Center, last winning there in the 2005-06 season.  It was also the first time KSC had swept both regular season games against the Corsairs that same year.

            Martin was the only KSC player to finish in double figures.  Wight scored nine points and DeMaco pulled down a team high eight rebounds.

            Greene, who finished 29 points and 11 rebounds for UMD, was held in check in the second half.  "The game plan was to force him away from his right hand," said Wright.  "He still got to the bucket and got some points, but we made some adjustments in the second half and it worked out for us." 

            KSC shot 50% from the field (26-52), but had a tough time at the line going 14-26 (54%).

            The Corsairs hit just three of its 17 three-point shots.

            Keene State are at LEC leading Eastern Conn. on Tuesday.