KEENE, N.H. 1/17/13 – After a three game road trip, Keene State College men's and women's basketball team return to the friendly confines of Spaulding Gym for a Little East Conference doubleheader against UMass-Dartmouth on Saturday.

The Keene State women's team (6-9, 1-5 LEC) faces UMD (12-3, 4-2 LEC) at 1 p.m. The Owl men's team is scheduled to tip-off against the Corsairs (2-12, 0-6 LEC) at 3 p.m.

Currently sitting seventh in the LEC standings, the Keene State women come into the game looking to make up ground in the conference and move up into the top six so they can secure a berth to the post-season tournament. 

The Owls went 1-2 during their trip, losing to Western Conn (62-43) and R.I. College (54-49) before getting a much-needed 62-41 over Plymouth State on Tuesday. Senior Siobhan Carnell continues to lead the Owls. She is second in the LEC in scoring (14.7 ppg.) leads the team in rebounding (7.0 rpg.). 

The Corsairs are tied for second in the conference along with Western Conn. and Rhode Island College.  UMD, which won seven straight earlier in the season, has split its last two games, losing to Southern Maine (82-61) and defeating R.I. College (75-57).

Senior Colleen Moriaty leads the LEC in scoring (16.5 ppg.) while junior Erika Bornemann is second in the conference in rebounding (9.9 rpg.).

Earlier this season, UMD defeated the Owls 58-48 in North Dartmouth.  Since joining the LEC, KSC leads the series 27-5.

Fourth in the LEC, The Owls return to Spaulding Gym after a three game road trip that saw them sandwich wins against Western Conn. (85-72) and Plymouth State (83-62) around a last-second loss to R.I. College (58-55). Held to just four points in the loss to RIC, Senior Ryan Martin scored a game high 20 points and Rashad Wright finished with 18 points and a game-high 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season and the 11th of his career, leading KSC to the win over rival Plymouth State on Tuesday.

KSC tops the LEC in scoring (76.7), free throw pct. (.730 pct.), blocked shots (5.7) and have the top two free throw shooters (Tom Doyle, .912, and Anthony Mariano .893) in the league.

One of the top teams historically in the LEC, the Corsairs (2-12, 06 LEC) are currently in a rebuilding mode and finds themselves at the bottom of the LEC standings.  UMD has dropped its last four games, including a 70-64 setback to RIC on Tuesday. The Anchormen scored the final six points in the final 36 seconds of the game.   UMD sophomore guard Mike Rotando led all scorers with 18 points.

This is the second meeting between the two teams this season. KSC held off a late rally by the Corsairs to post an 81-76 victory in North Dartmouth back on Nov. 30.  In that game, senior Eric Fazio had a game high 20 points and Wright finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Junior Eleazer Clayton and sophomore Alex Rodriques had 16 and 15 points respectively to lead UMD.

Since joining the LEC, KSC leads the series 20-17.  The Owls have won the last four meetings. The two teams have met twice in the LEC finals with the Corsairs winning both times in 1998 (81-79) and 2001 (99-89, OT).