Box Score PLYMOUTH, N.H.--A late first half run pushed the Plymouth State
University men's basketball team to a 68-64 Little East Conference
win over visiting Keene State College on Tuesday night at Foley
Gym.
The win snapped a seven game losing streak against Keene State
for the Panthers, dating back to the 2009-10 season. The Owls
are now 6-11 overall, and 3-5 in LEC play, while Plymouth State is
10-8, and 4-4 against LEC competition.
The Panthers ended the first half on a 17-5 run to take a 22-20
lead at halftime. KSC had led by as many as 11 (16-5) in the
opening 12 minutes, as consecutive baskets by Edwards and Nick Fragola
(North Branford, Conn.), boosted the Owls to an early lead.
Sophomore Nate Howard
(Cheshire, Conn.) led Keene State with 17 points and pulled down
seven boards, while freshman Jaquel Edwards
(Manchester, Conn.) tied a career high with 14 points and led the
Owls with 10 rebounds. Tom Doyle
(Wallingford, Conn.) chipped in 10 points.
Plymouth State's Petey Skevas (Wethersfield, Conn.) led all
scorers with 18 points.
The Panthers increased the lead to 30-26 on a pair of free
throws from Shomari Morgan (Manchester, N.H.), but KSC tied the
game on baskets by Edwards and Howard, then took a 31-30 lead on a
foul shot by Fragola. Tre' Tipton
(Stamford, Conn.) nailed a three on the next Owl possesion, but
Plymouth State went on an 11-0 run over the next three minutes to
take the lead for good.
"We had some serious lapses at the end of the half. The
rebounding and defense was atrocious and it cost us the game," said
head coach Rob Colbert, who praised the rebounding of Edwards and
Howard. The frontcourt duo combined for more than 50% of the Owls'
boards. "Jaquel and Nate were formidable, but we've gotta get
someone else to rebound the basketball. It was just the two
of them, and we were not getting chances on the offensive end."
The Owls made one final push, as Howard's steal and dunk at the
6:32 mark got KSC within one, and Edwards knocked down a three with
5:26 to play to knot the score at 52. PSU's Curtis Arsenault
(Berlin, N.H.) hit a jumper on the next possesion, and the Panthers
did not trail the rest of the way.
Keene State returns home to Spaulding Gym to host the University
of Southern Maine in an LEC contest that begins at 3 p.m. PSU
will travel to Eastern Connecticut State University on Saturday for
a 3 p.m. tip-off.
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