KEENE,N.H. 1/14/14- Junior guard Tom Doyle (Wallingford, Conn.) recorded his second double-double of the season with a game high 24 points and tied his career high with 10 rebounds leading Keene State College to a 75-70 win over Western Conn. State University in Little East Conference men's basketball action at Spaulding Gym on Tuesday night.

The Owls improve to 4-8 and even their conference record at 2-2.  Western Conn., which has dropped two out of its last three games, falls to 8-4 (2-2 LEC).  "It's a game that we can build on as we go forward," said KSC Coach Rob Colbert.  "There's a lot of room for improvement, but it's nice to get a win."

Junior Jengodji Gates (New Haven, Conn.) led the Colonials with 23 points.

Playing aggressive defense from the opening tap, the Owls turned a steal by Doyle into a lay-up by freshman Lucas Hammel (Methuen, Mass.), giving KSC an early 12-4 lead. Later in the half, Hammel found Doyle for a baseline jumper putting the Owls up 20-10 at the 9:05 mark. "That's what we've been practicing. Keep up the tempo and intensity,' said Doyle who also had four steals and three blocks. "Our main goal was to attack."

"I thought we came out and played really hard and it showed from the start," said Hammel.  We came out and played aggressive basketball tonight.  I thought we came out strong and they never recovered." 

"I thought we showed a lot of grit," said Colbert.  "I liked how we played in the in the half court offensively and defensively to hold the top scoring team in the LEC to 70 points was big."

 Fouled going in for a lay-up, sophomore Tre'Tipton (Stamford, Conn.) hit both of his free throws to extend the Owls lead to 27-15 with 4:18 to play in the half. 

Gates helped trigger a late first half comeback by the Colonials. He connected on baseline drive and hit a couple of free throws to cut the Owls lead to six points with 1:27 to go.  Junior Claudy Casseus (Uniondale, N.Y.) hit a pair from the line in the closing minute to make it a 33-29 game at the half. 

Coming out of the break, a hot-shooting Doyle scored the Owls first nine points of the half.   A reverse lay-up off a break by sophomore Nick Gagliolo (Peabody, Mass.) gave the Owls a 48-35 lead at the 12:16 mark.

The Owls maintained their lead.  Checking into the game, Jim Hepple (Newington, Conn.) hit a three-pointer from the right corner making it 60-47 with 7:30 to go.

Western didn't make it easy for the Owls.  Gates knocked down a trey to make it 64-58 with 3:30 to play.  Minutes later he hit two free throws to cut the lead to 64-60 with 3:05 to go.

Needing a basket, sophomore Nate Howard (Cheshire Conn.) had a put-back and Doyle hit a drove to push the Owls lead back up to eight points (68-60) 2:12 to go.

Gates wasn't done just yet. He hit a trey from the corner, making it a five point game (68-63) at the two minute mark. Following a KSC timeout, Howard hit a baseline drive to put KSC up 70-63.   A step-back jumper by Gates made it 70-65 with 54 seconds on the clock.

KSC almost lost the ball in the backcourt, but Tipton picked it up and KSC got a time-out with 47 seconds to go.  Dribbling around a top of the key, Doyle was fouled and hit one of his two free throws to give KSC a 71-65 lead. 

Sophomore Ronnie Underwood (Bridgeport, Conn.) answered with a couple of free throws to make it 71-67 with 29 seconds to go.

Inbounding the ball in from deep in the back court, Howard was fouled and hit both of his shots from the line to give KSC a 73-67 lead.  Gates delivered again.  His three-pointer made it a three-point game (73-70) with 12 seconds to play. 

On the inbounds play, WCSU sent Tipton to the line and he hit both of his shots to make it 75-70.  "We made a couple of mistakes down the stretch, but definitely showed some poise hitting those free throws and putting it out of reach," said Colbert.

Freshman Jaquel Edwards (Manchester, Conn.) had nine points and 10 rebounds and Howard finished with eight points, nine rebound and five Blocks for the Owls.

Junior Tony Seldom (Bloomfield, Conn.)  also had 14 points for Western Conn.

KSC shot 27-69 (39%) from the field, hit 2 of its nine treys (22%), and went 19-26 (73%) from the line. The Owls also had a slim 53-48 advantage on the boards.

Keene State host Fitchburg State in a non-conference game on Thursday (7 p.m.).