NEWTON, MASS. 1/3/13 – Senior Anthony Mariano (Naugatuck, Conn.) scored a game high 21 points and tied his career high with 11 rebounds to lead the Keene State College men's basketball team to a 73-63 non-conference victory over Lasell College in Newton, Mass. on Thursday.

            Posting his third double-double of his career, Mariano was 6-13 from the field and 8-9 from the line in the game. Sophomore Tom Doyle (Wallingford, Conn.) had 14 points and eight rebounds, and senior Rashad Wright (Agawam, Mass.) came off the bench to collect eight points and nine rebounds in the second half for the Owls (7-4), who have won four out of their last five games.

            Sophomore Angel Ortiz (East Lyme, Conn.) scored 15 points and juniors Brandon Ganesh (West Palm Beach, Fla.) and Rob Roy (Dover, N.H.) each had 12 points for the Lasers (1-9), who were playing their first game since the death of teammate Sean Bertanza, a senior guard, who passed on Dec. 20th in his hometown of Seymour, Conn.

            Leading 38-35 at the half, the Owls found themselves trailing 56-50 following a barrage of three-point baskets by Lasell.  Roy drained the Lasers' fifth straight three-pointer to give Lasell the six point lead at the 13:48 mark.

            The Owls came back to tie the score (56-all) on consecutive baskets by Wright and took the lead for good (64-63) on a put-back by Doyle with 3:31 to play.

            Keene State scored the last 11 points of the game.  The run began on a great play between Wright and Doyle.  After grabbing a defensive rebound, Wright ran the floor and was rewarded by Doyle, who while going out of bounds flipped a behind-the- back pass to Wright who dunked the ball.

            Junior John Boyatsis (Dover, N.H.), Doyle, and freshman Jesse Lacroix (Orange, Mass.) all hit free throws down the stretch for KSC. 

            Keene State shot 22-57 (39%) from the field, but struggled behind the arc (4-16, 25%) and from the line (25-40, 62%).  The Owls controlled the board, out-rebounding the Lasers 51-35.

            Keene State returns to Little East Conference play on Saturday (3 p.m.), when it hosts Southern Maine.