KEENE, N.H. – The Keene State College men's basketball team's 2022-23 season began on Tuesday, Nov. 9 at Westfield State University.
 
The Owls enter this season as the defending Little East Conference tournament champions after finishing the year with a record of 21-7 (12-4 LEC). That team made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament before losing to No. 17 Oswego 84-63. This year's team was picked to win the LEC in the league's preseason poll. The Owls have several key returning players, including senior forward Jeff Hunter (2021 First Team All-LEC, 2021 LEC All-Defensive Team) and sophomore guard Octavio Brito (2021 LEC Rookie of the Year).
 
After Westfield State, the Owls play their first home game of the season at Spaulding Gymnasium on Friday, Nov. 11 against Rutgers University-Newark for its home opener at Spaulding Gymnasium. Before the game, KSC will hold a banner ceremony to commemorate both its 2015-16 Sweet 16 and 2016-17 Elite 8 teams.
 
After that, the Owls will travel to Crawfordsville, Ind., to play in the Great Lakes Invitational at Wabash College. Keene State will play in two games during the event. The first is against Maryville College (Tenn.) on Friday, Nov. 18 at 5:30 p.m. The second game is against No. 17 Marietta College on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 5:30 p.m.
 
Following the invitational will be three non-conference games for the Owls. First is a game at Springfield College on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 6 p.m. Then there will be two home games at Spaulding Gymnasium. First is Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 1 p.m., followed by Albertus Magnus College on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m.
 
LEC play picks up after that, beginning with a game at the University of Southern Maine on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. Following that is home games against Plymouth State University on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m., and Rhode Island College on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 3 p.m. To wrap up its three-game homestand, Keene State will host Emerson College on Friday, Dec. 30 at 6 p.m.
 
To start the new calendar year, Keene State will travel take on UMass-Dartmouth in a rematch last season's LEC championship game. The Owls defeated the Corsairs in overtime 71-69 to punch their ticket to the NCAA tournament. The rematch will happen on Wednesday, Jan. 4 at 6 p.m.
 
Keene State then hosts Western Connecticut State University on Saturday, Jan. 7 at 3 p.m. After that is a game at Eastern Connecticut State University on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 6 p.m. Eastern Connecticut was picked to finish second in the LEC preseason poll this season, while Western Connecticut was picked to finish third.
 
A road game at UMass-Boston then happens on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 3 p.m. After that is Keene State's final non-conference game of the regular season at home against Middlebury College on Monday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. Two days later, the Owls host Castleton University on Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 7:30 p.m.
 
Moving forward, the Owls begin playing each LEC opponent for the second time during the season. First is a home game against Southern Maine on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 3 p.m. Then comes road games at Plymouth State (Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 7:30 p.m.) and Rhode Island College (Saturday Jan. 28 at 3 p.m.).
 
February begins with a home game against Eastern Connecticut on Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. The Owls will then wrap up their conference schedule with games at Western Connecticut (Saturday, Feb. 4 at 3 p.m.), at home against UMass-Dartmouth (Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m.), at Castleton (Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m.) and at home against UMass-Boston (Saturday, Feb. 18 at 3 p.m.).
 
Finally, the LEC tournament takes place from Feb. 21 – 25. The top six teams in the conference standings will qualify for the tournament.