PROVIDENCE, R.I.  2/18/12 – Up by two games in the Little East standings just a week and a half ago, the Keene State College men's basketball team will have to settle for the fourth seed in the upcoming LEC tournament after dropping its third straight conference game, a 65-57 loss to Rhode Island College at the Murray Center on Saturday. 

            The Owls (18-7, 10-4 LEC) will host fifth seed UMass-Dartmouth (13-12, 7-7 LEC) in a quarterfinal game at Spaulding Gym on Tuesday (7:30 p.m.). Rhode Island College (20-5, 10-4 LEC), the third seed, will entertain sixth seed Plymouth State in the other first-round game.  Top seed Eastern Conn and second seed Western Conn. will receive first-round byes in the six-team tournament. 

            Coming out flat, the Owls fell behind 20-3 and never recovered.  Trailing 33-24 at the break, KSC had just six baskets in the first half while committing 18 turnovers. 

            Keene State showed some life in the second half, cutting the lead to seven points (53-46) on a lay-up by junior Anthony Mariano (Naugatuck, Conn.) with 7:12 to play.  After RIC pushed its lead back up to 11 points (60-49), KSC answered with five straight points.  Senior Ollie Hunter (Bedford, N.H.) made a steal and fed Mariano who knocked down a three-pointer from the right side to make it 60-54 with 2:53 to play. 

            Junior Tahrike Carter (Brooklyn, N.Y.) hit one of two foul shots to put RIC up 61-54.  Sophomore John Boyatsis (Dover, N.H.) answered with a three-pointer, making it 61-57 with 1:16 to go, but the Owls got no closer the rest of the way with senior Mike Akinrola (Woonsocket, R.I.) putting the game away with free throws. 

            "They got out on us early and we dugs ourselves a hole that's tough to get out of, especially down here," said KSC Coach Rob Colbert.  "We just really struggled to score and that's a credit to their defense."

            "We had some key looks down the stretch and we didn't make them," he added.  "But you can't hope and wish that the balls go in.  You have to make things happen." 

            Junior Ryan Martin (Wayne, Maine) scored 14 points and Mariano had 13 points for the Owls.  Sophomore Montel Walcott (New Haven, Conn.) came off the bench and contributed eight points and nine rebounds.

            Akinrola finished with 14 points to lead the Anchormen.  Sophomore Tom DeCiantis (North Kingstown R.I.) had 11 points and senior Mason Choice (Newport, R.I.) chipped in with 10 points and seven rebounds.

            Keene State shot 18-47 from the field (38%).  They hit four of their eight three-point attempts and were 17-25 (68%) from the line.  The Owls won the battle of the boards 38-30.