KEENE, N.H.--A 15-9 run over the final 5:34 lifted the Keene State College men's basketball team to a 74-67 Little East Conference win over the University of Southern Maine on Saturday at Spaulding Gym.

The Owls are 8-0 overall, and 2-0 in the LEC.  The eight wins are as many as KSC had in the whole of the 2013-14 campaign.  Southern Maine is 3-5, and 0-2 against LEC opposition.  

Tom Doyle led four Owls in double-digits with 19 points. Nate Howard added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while blocking four shots, and Jaquel Edwards and Matt Ozzella each had 11 points.

The Huskies' Jacob Littlefield led all players with 23 points, while Zach Leal and Fred Knight each chipped in 12.  Cole Libby pulled down a game high 17 rebounds.

The Owls, who had led 33-26 at halftime, bumped the lead to 39-28 in the early minutes of the second half on the strength of layups by Doyle, Lucas Hammel, and Dizel Wright.  USM began to chip away later in the frame Jalen Lincoln set up Zach Leal for a dunk and Littlefield drained a three to get the Huskies to within six. 

KSC restored the advantage to 10 as Nate Stitchell and Ozzella knocked down threes for a 54-44 lead, but USM rattled off a 10-3 run to get within 57-54 with 8:03 to go.  After KSC missed a layup on the next possession, Zach Leal knocked down two free throws to make it a one point game.

Edwards converted a three point play to kickstart the final run for the Owls.  USM got back within two one final time on Aaron Toman's stickback, but Doyle scored on the next possesion and KSC never looked back, making six free throws down the stretch as the Huskies missed three three point attempts in the last 31 seconds.  

"Southern Maine was able to get two and three guys back to set up their zone, and that was a problem for us," said head coach Rob Colbert.  "We had to gut it out on both ends.  We talked alot at halftime about our rebounding." 

KSC will be off until December 31, when the Owls will entertain Plattsburgh State.  The Huskies return to the court on December 29 in Washington D.C., playing Guilford College (N.C.) in the opening game of the Catholic University of America/Holiday Inn College Park Classic.