DANBURY, CONN. 2/11/12 – Keene State College, ranked 21st in this week's D3Hoops.com poll, dropped a hard-fought 108-105 Little East Conference men's basketball overtime game to Western Connecticut State University at the Feldman Arena on Saturday.

            Keene State, which saw its nine game winning streak come to an end, falls to 18-5 (10-2 LEC).  Western Conn. improves to 19-4 (9-3 LEC).  The Owls maintain their lead in the LEC standings over WSCU and Eastern Conn. (18-5, 9-3), which defeated UMass-Dartmouth 72-62 on Saturday.

            Keene State, which led by as many as 13 points (53-40) in the first-half, following a breakaway lay-up by senior Ollie Hunter (Bedford, N.H.) had to settled for a 61-55 lead at the break.

            Junior Ryan Martin (Wayne, Maine) capped a 12-4 run out of the break to put the Owls up 73-59 early in the second half.

            The Colonials got back in the game behind the shooting of junior Shawn Mobilio (Seymour, Conn.) who finished with 19 points off the bench.  His drive tied the score at 81-all with 9:30 to play.

            It was a barn-burner the rest of the way as both teams traded leads.  Hunter picked up a loose ball and hit a lay-up to give KSC a 97-95 lead with 1:20 to go. Seniors Michael Kennedy (Newton, Conn.) and Gary Robinson (Torrington, Conn.) both hit a couple of free throws to put the Colonials up 99-97 at the 1:01 mark

            Junior Rashad Wright (Agawam, Mass.) found junior Eric Fazio (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) down low for a lay-up that knotted the score at 99 all with 39 seconds to go in regulation.

            Western put the ball in the hands of senior DaQuan Brooks (Atlanta, Ga.) to win the game.  He let the clock go down to the final seconds before putting up a shot that missed, sending the game into overtime.

            Martin hit a jumper to put the Owls up 103-101, but it would be their last lead of the game.   After getting the ball back on three consecutive offensive rebounds, WSCU took a 104-103 lead on a three-pointer by junior Ryan Pelletier (Wolcott, Conn.).  Brooks made it a 106-103 game when he split the Owls' defense and went in for a lay-up.  Hunter hit a lay-up to make it a one point game (106-105). 

            The Owls sent Brooks to the line with 15.4 seconds to go.  He hit the second of his two free throws attempts, making it 107-105.  In the Owls' next possession, Martin missed a lay-up and was called for a foul in the rebound action with 6.7 second to play. 

            Freshman Luis Bridtter (Stamford, Conn.) missed the front-end of his one-and-one, giving KSC back the ball with no times outs.  Hunter had a chance to tie the game, but his jumper from the left side hit off the rim as the game clock expired.

            Keene State placed five players in double-figures with Martin, who was 10-16 from the field), leading the way with 28 points. Hunter, 8-10 from the field, scored a career high 26 points to go with a team high eight rebounds.  Fazio had 17 points, while Wright and junior Anthony Mariano (Naugatuck, Conn.) each finished with 12 points.

            Brooks, who was 13-32 from the field, but hit just two of his 17 three-point attempts, had a game high 37 points for Western.  Kennedy had 13 points and a game high 11 rebounds.

            KSC lost the game despite shooting 58% (35-60) from the field.  The Owls were 6-14 (43%) from behind the arc and made 29 of their 33 shots from the stripe (88%).

            WCSU, which also defeated the Owls 94-87 in Keene earlier this season, was 45% from the field (32-71), 11-35 (32%) in threes, and 33-42 (79%) from the line.

            Keene State hopes to get back on the winning track when it hosts Eastern Conn. on Tuesday.