Box Score KEENE, N.H.-- Nate Howard
(Cheshire, Conn.) and Jaquel Edwards
(Manchester, Conn.) each posted a double-double as the Keene State
College men's basketball team cruised to a 95-59 win over the
University of Southern Maine in an Little East Conference game on
Saturday afternoon.
The Owls kept up their home dominance against the
Huskies improving to 17-1 against USM in Spaulding Gym. Keene
State is now 7-11 overall, and 4-5 in the LEC, while the Huskies
fall to 6-13, with a 2-7 LEC ledger.
Edwards posted career highs with 15 points and 17
rebounds. "We've asked a lot of Jaquel," said head men's
basketball coach Rob Colbert. "He's not really a power
forward, and he's been giving us great production." Howard
had his fifth double-double of the year with 17 points, 11 boards,
and a career high seven blocks. Tom Doyle
(Wallingford, Conn.) narrowly missed out on being the third Owl
with a double-double, with 16 points and nine rebounds. Tre' Tipton
(Stamford, Conn.) ran an efficient KSC offense, which featured 18
assists on 32 made baskets; seven assists were from Tipton.
Keene State jumped out to an early 8-2 lead, as
Howard set up Tipton for a
jumper, then scored off a pass from Doyle. The Huskies got
within five points (28-23) on a basket from Tyler Penney
(Barnstead, N.H.), but KSC pushed the lead back to 12 when Doyle
put back a miss by Jeff Lunn (Nashua,
N.H.).
The Owls' defense played a part as well, as Howard
repeated denied the Huskies from close range. The seven
footer stuffed Zach Leal (York, Maine) and Cole Libby (Buxton,
Maine) on consecutive attempts, and Matt Sherlock
(Melrose, Mass.) leaped to swat away Libby's follow-up.
Keene State turned on the gas in the second half,
limiting USM to 20 percent shooting from the floor (7-for-35) while
connecting on 15 of 32 field goal attempts. Matt Ozzella's
(Medway, Mass.) conventional three point play provided the final
margin of victory.
Sean Caddigan (Bethel, Maine) was the only USM player
to hit double-figures, netting 11 points. KSC won the
battle of the boards, out rebounding USM 66-42, while forcing 17
turnovers and blocking 11 shots.
Keene State will remain at home for their host
contest, hosting Middlebury College in a non-conference tilt at
7:30 p.m. on February 4. Southern Maine will also be in
non-league play on Tuesday night, playing host to Colby College in
a 7:30 p.m. start.
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