Box Score PROVIDENCE, R.I.--Freshman Jaquel Edwards (Manchester, Conn.) had his third double-double in four games as the Keene State College men's basketball team dropped a 75-70 overtime decision to Little East Conference rival Rhode Island College at the Murray Center on Saturday.
The Owls are now 7-13, and 4-6 in the Little East Conference, while Rhode Island College is 14-7, and 8-2 in the LEC.
Edwards finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds, four steals, and two blocked shots, while Tom Doyle (Wallingford, Conn.) added 13 points and Nate Howard (Cheshire, Conn.) had 10 points and nine boards. The Anchormen were led by Victor Smith's 22 point, eight rebound performance. Freshman Austin Cilley netted 17 points and Eric Alleyne netted 13.
Following a tightly contested first half that sent the two teams into halftime knotted at 34, the Anchormen slowly crept ahead of the Owls early in the second stanza behind Smith and Alleyne. After a basket from Alleyne put RIC on top, 41-38, with 17:14 on the clock, Smith followed with another bucket in the paint just moments later to give the Anchormen a five point lead, their largest of the game.
Keene State would answer back and eventually jumped ahead of the hosts by six, 55-49, with 10:05 left to play thanks to a trey from senior guard Jim Hepple (Newington, Conn), but watched its lead nearly vanish following a 7-2 run from the Anchormen over the next five minutes. After a three-pointer from Alleyne pulled RIC within one, 59-58, with 5:30 on the clock, Doyle responded with a three-point play on the other end to put KSC up, 62-58, with 5:02 remaining.
After Smith connected on a layup at the 3:45 mark to cut RIC's deficit to two, Cilley went on to bury a pair of free throws and tied the game, 62-62, with just 2:48 on the clock. Smith continued to carry the Anchormen on the offensive end, as his jumper with 2:08 remaining gave the hosts a 64-62 lead. However, Tipton answered back for the Owls with a pair of free throws on the other end to tie the game, 64-64, with 1:38 on the clock.
Following a costly Rhode Island College turnover that gave Keene State the ball with less than 90 seconds remaining, sophomore guard Nick Gagliolo (Peabody, Mass.) converted a layup opportunity with just 1:18 remaining to give the Owls a 66-64 lead. Smith responded with a turnaround jumper on the ensuing possession that tied the game, 66-66, with one minute left, which eventually proved to force overtime.
Cilley scored back-to-back baskets for the Anchormen to open overtime, giving the hosts a 70-66 lead just 40 seconds into the frame. Tipton connected on a layup to pull Keene within two, but Burton responded with a layup on the other end to give RIC a 72-68 lead with 2:31 left to play. Tipton drained a pair of free throws at the 2:09 mark, but those would be the final points of the game for the Owls, while free throws from Cilley and senior guard Michael Palumbo (Providence, RI) sealed Keene's fate and gave the Anchormen the, 75-70, victory.
For the game, Rhode Island College shot 39 percent (24-for-61) from the floor, 25 percent (4-for-16) from beyond the three-point arc and 66 percent (23-for-35) from the free throw line.
Meanwhile, Keene State shot 38 percent (27-for-71) from the field, 18 percent (3-for-17) from downtown and 68 percent (13-for-19) from the free throw line.
Keene State will return home to host Eastern Connecticut State University in an LEC game on Tuesday, February 11 at 7:30 pm. Rhode Island College will also be at home, welcoming Western Connecticut State University on Tuesday at 7:30.
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