KEENE, N.H.--The Keene State College men's basketball team let an 11 point lead slip away in an 89-80 loss to Western Connecticut State University at Spaulding Gym on Wednesday night.

Records

• Keene State: 8-5, 1-3 LEC
• Western Connecticut State: 9-5, 3-1 LEC

Series

• Keene State leads 23-17.  The win was a measure of revenge for WCSU, which lost all three meetings to the Owls last year, including a 101-99 loss in the LEC quarterfinals. 

Tale of the Tape

• Keene State was led by a career high 21 points from freshman Ty Nichols.  Nichols shot 7-for-11 from the floor and 7-for-11 from the line and added six rebounds.
• Jeff Lunn added 14 points off the bench, while Nate Stitchell added 12 and Nate Howard had another double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
• The Colonials got 23 points from Phil Starks, and freshman Jauch Green came off the bench to score 22 points on 9-for-11 shooting.  Luis Bridtter (15 points) and Tre'Von Perry (12 points) also scored in double-figures for WCSU.
• The Colonials committed just eight turnovers and shot 50.8% from the field.

First Half Highlights

• The game was close throughout the first half; no team led by more than six during the opening 20 minutes.  
• Perry connected on a jumper with 15:10 on the clock for an 11-7 lead, but Keene State responded with a 10-2 run, with six points coming from Lunn during that stretch, for a 17-13 advantage.
• Lunn fed Jimmy Layman for a layup that gave Keene State a 27-21 lead with 6:23 to go, but the Colonials tied the game at 28 on Starks' three at the 4:21 mark.  
• Bridtter made a pair of free throws with 2:16 left that put the Colonials up four (37-33), only to see Stitchell make a three on the Owls' next possession and Tre' Tipton scored with 20 seconds left as the Owls led 38-37 at halftime. 

Second Half Highlights

• The Owls came roaring out of the gates, opening the second half outscoring WCSU 16-6 over the first six minutes as the Colonials missed their first four shots of the half.  Nate Howard had an offensive rebound and dunk in that span, and Nichols capped the burst with a jumper.
• Western Connecticut came back with a run over their own, getting within 58-56 with 10:10 to play on two free throws by Aaron Samuel, but Tipton connected on a three and a layup to push the KSC lead back to 66-60.
• The Colonials finally tied the game on a jumper by Starks, and went ahead on a jumper by Rashard Rodriguez with 5:29 left.  A three point play from Matt Ozzella and a layup from Stitchell put the Owls up 72-68, but the Colonials closed the game on a 21-8 run, getting threes from Starks and Rodriguez and making seven of nine free throws down the stretch.

Up Next:

• Keene State hosts Rhode Island College in a rematch of the Little East Conference championship game on Saturday at 3 p.m.
• Western Connecticut State travels to Plymouth State on Saturday for a 3 p.m. tip-off.