KEENE, N.H. – For the Keene State College men's basketball team, it was not shaping up to be one of their better days of the season as they saw a commanding 17-point first half lead turn into a 10-point deficit in the final three minutes of regulation after the nationally sixth-ranked Owls scored only 16 offensive points in 22 minutes of game action.  Also hurting KSC was consistent foul trouble to their scoring leaders Jeff Hunter and Octavio Brito, the latter of whom fouled out with 8:19 to go and the former of whom played just seven minutes in the first half.  For Spencer Aronson, it appeared as though it might also have been a day to put in the rear-view mirror individually as the normally precise three-point man made just two of his first 11 attempts.  Instead, it became just another day to remember for a team that continues to get it done.  Aronson made his final four three-pointers of the night to help the Owls come storming back with a stirring 13-3 run in the final 2:55 of regulation and take a lead they would never relinquish seven seconds into overtime as Keene State handed Western Connecticut State University their first loss, 71-68 in Little East Conference action Saturday afternoon at Spaulding Gymnasium.

Records

• No. 6 Keene State:  13-0, 5-0 LEC
• Western Connecticut:  10-1, 2-1 LEC

Postgame Interview (Coach Cain)
Postgame Interview (Spencer Aronson)

How It Happened
What turned into a wild and closely-contested finish remarkably had only two ties and two lead changes, as KSC did not trail until 7:31 remained, but subsequently found themselves chasing 10 points a little over four minutes later as they were outscored 43-19 in a 22-minute span overall, shooting a freezing cold 18 percent (5-for-28) overall and 2-of-19 from three-point range while committing 14 turnovers.  This allowed WestConn – who early on seemed they might be run out of the gym and shot 26 percent in the opening half – to not only threaten, but be in a prime position to give the Owls their first loss as they took a 58-48 lead on a layup from Ryan Alkins with 3:18 left.  Aronson answered with a three as KSC began to snap out of a stretch where they scored just two points in nearly six minutes to see a four-point (46-42) advantage turn into the double-digit deficit, but the Wolves still maintained a 61-53 edge after Keeshawn Jones drove to the basket for a layup with 1:45 to go.  Alkins was called for a blocking foul on the next possession and Jeric Cichon made a pair of free throws to make it 61-55 and keep the Owls within reach with still 1:37 to go, though it was questionable how within reach it was for a KSC team that was struggling offensively for one of the rare times this season and was without their leading scorer Octavio Brito, who fouled out with eight minutes left.  As it turns out, all they needed was their three-point specialist to find his stroke.  After getting an imperative defensive stop down six, Aronson drilled a three with 1:18 to go to bring his team within one, KSC then got another defensive stop, forcing Kendall Robinson into a fallaway jumper late in the shot clock with 40 seconds left that he missed.  Aronson grabbed the board and passed off to Mason Jean Baptiste as the Owls had a chance to get within one or tie with a 12-second differential between the two clocks.  Nate Siow beat WestConn's persistent pressure, which they applied all afternoon with numerous defenders swarming every ball handler, and passed off to Aronson in the right corner, who faked an initial shot and sidestepped Jaheim Young for burying his third consecutive triple, a huge one to tie the game.  Even at 61 with 29 seconds to go, the Wolves held for the final shot and a chance at a win.  Jones wasted the clock still standing on the Owl logo and made his move with six seconds left, but ran into Cichon and traveled with 1.5 seconds left as Keene State came up with a crucial defensive stand.  Jean Baptiste's heave from beyond half court off the ensuing inbound came up short, but the Owls forced overtime by closing on an 8-0 run in the final 1:37 of regulation.

With momentum clearly on their side, KSC never trailed in the extra session, winning the opening tip and getting a fourth consecutive three from the sizzling Aronson just seven seconds in for a 64-61 lead.  He and Hunter wound up finishing with seven of the Owls' 10 overtime points as they posted their 10th consecutive win at Spaulding Gymnasium including last season, a streak that began with a win of WCSU.  The Wolves did not go away, getting within one on three different occasions in the final four minutes to keep the pressure on, but Keene State ultimately made enough plays, including a Siow-to-Hunter dunk with 3:12 left that made it 66-63.  Young answered by attacking the basket for a bucket on the other end on the ensuing trip and after a KSC miss the Wolves had a chance at a lead but came up empty.  Jean Baptiste was fouled with barely under two minutes left and calmly made two big three throws for a 68-65 KSC lead.  Young scored again on the next trip as the Owls could not shake free, but Hunter dunked over Robinson just eight seconds later to make it 70-67 with 1:16 on the clock.  KSC got a stop and a rebound on the next WCSU offensive possession, but then rushed a pass and committed one of their season-high 22 miscues in the backcourt to give the Wolves another chance.  Jones ran into Hunter, who was playing with four fouls but nonetheless forced a miss, but Cichon after appearing to grab the rebound had the ball tipped away by Jones with 20 seconds left.  Alkins drove in and Hunter was called for a blocking foul with KSC leading 70-67 with 12.3 on the clock.  However, he made just one of the free throws to make it a two-point game.  After a WCSU timeout, Cichon inbounded to Jean Baptiste and then got the ball back before being fouled.  He made the first free throw and missed the second to give the Wolves a chance at a tie, but Siow pestered Jalen Jackson and his out-of-rhythm three in the final seconds was well off as KSC escaped.

It was far from a masterpiece for the Owls, who had to grind to overcome a season-high in turnovers, a season-low field goal percentage, and their leading scorer fouling out and playing only 20 minutes.  Aronson, Hunter, and Siow all were playing with four fouls.  However, for the second time in three games, KSC persevered down the stretch to pick up the win.  Aronson finished with 18 points on 6-of-15 from three, a season-high in made triples for the sophomore transfer from Endicott College.  Hunter still posted with a double-double, his tenth, recording 13 points (5-8 FG), 13 rebounds, and three blocks.  Siow added nine points (3-5 FG, 1-2 3-PT, 2-2 FT), six assists, and four steals.

Western Connecticut put four in double-figures, led by Jalen Jackson's 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting and 6-of-6 shooting at the foul line (the rest of his team was 13-for-24 from the charity stripe).  Alkins had 13 points and nine rebounds, while Young had 12 points and nine boards.  Jones added 12 himself to go along with four rebounds, but the Wolves were limited to 3-of-10 shooting in the overtime.

Given how the first half went, it was a surprise the game needed five more minutes to decide a winner, as KSC sprinted out to an 11-4 lead in less than four minutes and a 16-6 advantage on a dunk by Brito at the 14:45 mark.  The lead was 12 (21-9) on a Jean Baptiste triple about three minutes later and 32-15 when Liam Johnston and Mike Carothers connected from distance within a minute of each other with 5:09 to go in the first half.  The Owls carried a 34-19 lead into the locker room despite shooting under 40 percent in the half, but WestConn quickly made a game of it by scoring the first 10 points of the second half, setting up the finish.

Inside the Paint

• Aronson has made at least three triples in four of his last five games and, aside from an 0-for-5 against Emerson College on December 30, is 17-for-35 in that span.  He had half of the Owls' threes on the day, as KSC otherwise was just 12-for-44 from deep (44 of their 67 total shots were from long range).  Aronson is shooting 41 percent from three on the season.
• Keene State leads the all-time series 37-19, including a 22-8 mark at Spaulding Gymnasium.  The Owls have won three in a row and 10 of 12 against the Wolves, who had won their first two league games this year by a combined 33 points.

Up Next

• A pair of road games await KSC this week, beginning with a trip to Willimantic, Conn. for a matchup with Eastern Connecticut State University (6-8, 3-2 LEC) on Tuesday, January 10 at 6:00 p.m.  The Owls pounded the Warriors 79-56 on the road in the LEC tournament semifinals last year en route to their fourth league title since 2015.  ECSU beat Castleton University 58-48 on the road today.
• WestConn returns home and has a quick turnaround, hosting the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth (3-9, 2-2 LEC) on Monday, January 9 at 5:00 p.m.