Box Score PLYMOUTH, N.H.--There will be at least one more game at home for the Keene State College men's basketball team. The Owls guaranteed a quarterfinal game at Spaulding Gym with a 66-55 win over in-state rival Plymouth State University on Tuesday night.
The Owls completed a season sweep of the Panthers, after an 81-68 win on January 28. Keene State improves to 17-7 and 8-5 in the LEC, and will finish no worse than the fourth seed in the upcoming Little East Conference tournament. Plymouth State falls to 7-17, with a 2-11 LEC mark.
Tom Doyle scored 18 points for KSC, which shot 46.2% from the field in the game. Dizel Wright had 11 points and seven assists, while Jeff Lunn had 11 points and nine rebounds.
PSU's Jack Preston led all players with 19 points, while Alex Burt chipped in 15.
Preston had eight early points to stake Plymouth State to an 11-9 lead, but KSC tied the game on a basket by Lunn and went in front 14-11 on a three from Jaquel Edwards. A 10-1 run for the Panthers gave PSU a 21-15 on two free throws by Uche Nwokeji, only to see KSC respond with a 13-4 run of their own to take a 28-25 lead at halftime.
The Owls slowly pulled away, going up 36-30 on Nate Howard's layup with 16:04 to play. Plymouth State closed to within two (46-44) on a triple from Alex Burt, but could not take the lead.
The KSC defense held firm, not allowing a field goal in the final 7:27 of the game as the Panthers missed their final six shot attempts.
PSU shot just 37% from the floor, and attempted just six three point shots, making two.
Keene State could finish as high as the No. 3 seed with a win over UMass Dartmouth in the regular season finale on Saturday afternoon. The Panthers will host Rhode Island College.
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