KEENE, N.H 11/19/13 – The Keene State College men's basketball team is still looking for its first win of the season after dropping a 80-77 non-conference game to Elms College on Tuesday night at Spaulding Gym.

It's the first time since 2008 the Owls (0-2) have lost their first two games of the season.  Meanwhile, Elms College (1-2) picks up its first win of the season. 

Sophomore Nate Howard (Cheshire, Conn.) led five Owls in double-figures with 13 points while trying his career high with 18 rebounds.  Classmate  Tre' Tipton (Stamford, Conn.) and freshman Matt Sherlock (Melrose, Mass.) each had 11 points while senior Jimmy Hepple (Newington, Conn.) and freshman Nick Gagliolo (Peabody, Mass.) both finished with 10 points.

Sophomore Derek Murphy's (Columbia, Md.) three-pointer with 2:13 to play put the Blazers up 78-77 and senior Isaiah Odunlami (Providence, R.I.) hit a couple of key free throws with 13 seconds remaining to give Elms the win.  Sophomore Jerry Buchanon (Windsor, Conn.) led the Blazers in scoring with a game-high 25 points.

A fast pace first half saw a hustling Hepple go to the floor for a steal. He dished the ball to Sherlock who went in for a dunk that gave the Owls an early 18-10 lead.  Later in the half, freshman Lucas Hammel (Methuen, Mass.) found junior Tom Doyle (Wallingford, Conn.) driving the lane, putting KSC up 31-21 with 7:30 to go.

The Blazers went on a 14-4 run with a lay-up by Buchanon tying the game at 35-all with1:33 to play in the half. Keene State held a 39-35 halftime lead.   The Owls continued to struggle behind the arc, missing all of their 11 shots in the first half.

Gagliolo hit the Owls' first three-pointer of the game at the 17:36 mark of the second half, giving KSC a 43-38 lead.

The Blazers took their first lead (48-47) since the opening minutes of the game on a breakaway lay-up by Buchanon at the 13:36 mark. 

The game was stopped with 9:32 to go when Doyle, who was going for a lay-up, was horse-collared by Blazer junior Kenny Lockett (Atlanta, Geo) and thrown to the ground, hitting his head on the floor.  Lockett was issued two flagrant fouls and ejected from the game.  Both teams went to their locker rooms as the athletic training staff tended to Doyle. Doyle left the floor on a stretcher.

Sherlock's second straight lay-up put the Owls up 75-73 with 3:40 to play.  With both teams attacking the basket, Odunlami was fouled and hit two free throws to tie the score at 75-all with 2:32 to go.

Howard followed up a miss by Hammel with a dunk, givng KSC its last lead (77-75) with 2:22 to play. 

After Murphy's three-pointer put Elms back on top (78-77), Tipton tried to answer with a three-pointer that was off the mark.  In the Blazers'' next possession, Odunlami was fouled and hit one of two free throws to make it a two point game (79-77) with 1:28 to play. 

KSC had a couple of chance to tie the game.  Sherlock missed a lay-up and in the Owls' next trip down the floor, Tipton missed a short jumper in the lane.

After a free throw by Odunlami made it 80-77, KSC got the ball back and called time-out.  Freshman Matt Ozzella (Medway, Mass.) inbounded the ball to Sherlock in the corner, but his three-point shot hit off the rim.

Keene State continued to struggle behind the arc and at the line.  They finished the game 4-20 (20%) from behind the arc and went 17-29 (59%) from the line.

"The game followed a similar script, missing free throws and making some critical mistakes down the stretch," said KSC Coach Rob Colbert.  "But you have to credit Elms they made some big plays, they got to the line (hitting 30 of 40 shots from the line) and made their free throws. We're still searching for an identity right now.  

"My thoughts are with Tommy (Doyle) and see how he's doing and if he's not ready to go we'll have to figure out a different way to play. Someone else is going to have to step up,' Colbert added.

Keene State will play its first Little East Conference game of the season at Southern Maine on Saturday (3 p.m.).