BOSTON, MASS. 12/7/13 – The Keene State College men's basketball team defeated UMass-Boston 93-76, picking up its first Little East Conference win of the season at the Clark Athletic Center Gym in Boston on Saturday.  It's the most points scored by the Owls this season.

After losing its first five games of the season, Keene State (2-5, 1-1 LEC) has now strung together two straight wins.  UMass-Boston falls to 3-4 overall and 0-1 in the LEC.

"We still have a long way to go, but we played hard today. We shot the ball well, and did a nice job rebounding, especially in the second half," said KSC Coach Rob Colbert.  "We did it with a different group.  A lot of the guys came off the bench and made a contribution.  Based on the match-up we went with a smaller line-up."

KSC took advantage of its depth with the Owl bench outscoring the Beacons 42-15. "We wore them down physically," Colbert said.

Freshman Jeff Lunn (Nashua, N.H.) scored a season high 19 points, hitting eight of his nine shots from the field, to lead five Owls in double figures.  Classmate Jaquel Edwards (Manchester, Conn.) scored a season best 14 points, sophomore Tre Tipton (Stamford, Conn.) had 12 points, senior Jim Hepple (Newington, Conn.) finished with 11 points and freshman Matt Sherlock (Melrose, Mass.) came off the bench to score 10 points. 

Tipton, who scored 10 of his 12 points at the line (10-12) also had a team high eight rebounds and a career best nine assists in the game.  KSC moved the ball around, finishing with 24 assists on its 31 baskets. 

Junior Carl Joseph (Brockton, Mass.) scored a game high 26 points, sophomore Jerard Mayes (Boston, Mass.) had 16 point and eight rebounds and junior Gregory Young (Boston, Mass.) finished with 15 points and a game high nine rebounds for the Beacons.

With the score knotted at 17-all, Keene State outscored the Beacons 18-4 to take a 35-21 lead on a three-pointer by Sherlock at the 4:59 mark of the first half.

After UMass-Boston cut the Owls lead to four points (37-34) on a lay-up by Mays with 46 second to play in the half, KSC used its press to get its lead back up to seven points (41-34) at the half.  Edwards made a lay-up on an inbounds play and classmate Lucas Hammel (Methuen, Mass.) hit a couple of free throws with 12 seconds on the clocks. 

Keene State's press paid dividends again to start the second half.  After Tipton hit two free throws, Hepple intercepted UMB's inbound pass.  He was fouled after hitting the line-up with the three-point play putting the Owls up 53-37.  "Jimmy was really great at the top of the press," said Colbert.  "I hope we're getting to a point where our defense is picking up."

Hepple wasn't done.  Taking an inbounds pass underneath the KSC basket from Hammel, he hit a twisting, reverse lay-up to make it 55-39.

Seeing his first action since suffering a concussion against Elms College, senior Tom Doyle (Wallingford, Conn.) finished with nine points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals off the bench.  He converted a two-on-one lay-up with Sherlock and later drained a long three-pointer from the top of the key that gave KSC a 70-52 lead midway in the second half.

KSC shot 48% (31-64) from the field, 7-17 (41%) from behind the arc, and hit 24 of its 34 (71%) free throws.  The Owls also won the battle of the boards 46-38. 

The Beacons had a tough game shooting threes, hitting just two of their 13 attempts (15%). The also tuned the ball over 21 times.

Keene State plays at WPI next Saturday (2 p.m.).