PROVIDENCE, R.I.--Nate Howard had 17 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks to boost the Keene State College men's basketball team to a 62-48 win over Rhode Island College on Saturday afternoon at the Murray Center.

Records

• Keene State: 15-10, 8-6 Little East Conference
• Rhode Island College: 5-20, 4-10 Little East Conference 

Playoff Permutations

• Keene State finishes the regular season tied with UMass Dartmouth and Western Connecticut State at 8-6.   The Owls swept UMass Dartmouth but were swept by Western Connecticut State, and UMass Dartmouth won both meetings with the Colonials, so the Owls will be the No. 3 seed based on a better head-to-head record with top seeded Eastern Connecticut State.  
• Keene State will host No. 6 seed Plymouth State University in an LEC quarterfinal game at 7:30 p.m. at Spaulding Gym.  The two split the regular season matchups, with both both schools winning at home in overtime.
• The Anchormen will be the No. 7 seed and will travel to No. 2 seed Southern Maine. 

Tale of the Tape

• Howard was one of three KSC players in double-figures; Ty Nichols had 15 points and five assists, while Nate Stitchell had 12 points and six dimes.
• Keene State again kept hold of the ball, committing just 11 turnovers while forcing 14 from the Anchormen.  KSC also sent Rhode Island College to the free throw line a mere four times and committed seven fouls throughout the game.
• Chris Green led the Anchormen with 12 points, while Gianni Carwin had 10.

First Half Highlights

• Matt Ozzella's jumper gave Keene State an early 6-2 lead, but the Anchormen rattled off the next 10 points as Carwin and Green made threes for a 12-6 lead.
• The Owls took control with a 14-2 run of their own, highlighted by six points from Nichols.  Ozzella fed Howard for a bucket that gave the Owls a 20-14 lead.  
• Howard returned the favor to Ozzella with 54 seconds left to break a 22-22 tie, and Stitchell drained a three at the first half buzzer for a 27-22 lead at the break.

Second Half Highlights

• Keene State began the second half on a 12-2 burst, as Howard slammed home an offensive rebound, and Stitchell and Ozzella each knocked down a three.
• Another basket from Howard with 13:56 left gave KSC a 41-27 lead.
• The Anchormen pulled within 13 on Carwin's layup with 8:24 to go, but Nichols had a three point play on KSC's next possession, and KSC never looked back, taking a 62-44 lead on another three from Stitchell with 2:15 left.