WALTHAM, Mass. – Jordan Cooper and Ryan Blakey combined to shoot 7-for-16 from three-point range while scoring 38 points, but the Keene State College men's basketball team shot just 34.7 percent from the field in the second half as they lost 87-76 to Brandeis University in a New Year's Eve matinee Wednesday afternoon at the Red Auerbach Arena.

KSC (4-6) led by seven early and then trailed by nine with five minutes left in the first half before rallying for a 36-36 tie at the half thanks to Cooper's triple just ahead of the buzzer, but they led just one time by one point after the break at 51-50 after the junior North Carolina native converted an old-fashioned three-point play with 13:18 left.  The Judges (6-4) reeled off the next seven and then had an answer seemingly every time the Owls scored down the stretch, as Alex Zakheim made a three to give his team a 60-55 edge with 8:56 to go – part of a stretch in which he scored 10 consecutive points for Brandeis including embarking on a personal 7-0 run that gave the home team a 67-57 lead with seven minutes remaining. The Owls chopped their deficit in half in less than a minute, getting within 67-62 on Sam Medalie's three, but allowed Brandeis to shoot 51.6 percent from the field after the break and 12-for-27 overall from deep.

Cooper drained a three with 3:59 left to again keep KSC hanging around at 74-69, but DJ Courtney hit a three on Brandeis' very next possession.  Leo Chaikin scored inside with 3:25 to go to make it 77-71, but Gur Dhillon answered right back with a jumper to make it a three-possession game with the clock ticking toward three minutes left.  The Owls had one more push, getting a pair of inside tip-ins from Kareem Porter Jr. to get within four with 1:35 left, but Blakey fouled Courtney six seconds later and he made two from the line to make it a six-point game.  KSC scored just one more point when Blakey made one of two free throws to make it 81-76 with 1:12 to go and Brandeis then went 6-for-6 at the charity stripe in the final 32 seconds to deny the Owls a chance to get back to .500 heading into 2026.

Cooper finished 8-of-18 from the floor for 23 points, also going 3-of-8 from three while adding seven rebounds and three assists.  Blakey added 15 points (5-11 FG, 4-8 3-PT), six rebounds, and two assists while Denis Wainaina had 12 points (6-7 FG), five boards and three blocks.

The Owls dominated the glass 44-32 including grabbing 19 offensive rebounds but forced only six turnovers and committed 14 themselves to finish minus-nine on points off turnovers.  KSC was outscored 51-40 in the second half, where Brandeis turned the ball over just one time (the Owls had only three).

The Judges finished with five double-figure scorers including from four of their starters.  Elias Rodl (7-17 FG, 3-4 3-PT, 5-6 FT) had a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double.  Zakheim added 17 points (7-13 FG) and Aedan Using 15 points (5-6 FG, 3-4 3-PT, 2-3 FT).

Keene State now enters the bulk of their Little East Conference schedule, beginning with a home game against the University of Southern Maine (6-5, 1-1 LEC) on Saturday (January 3) at Spaulding Gymnasium.  Tip-off is at 3:00 p.m.

The Owls finish the calendar year of 2025 with a 21-9 record, making history with their fourth consecutive Little East tournament championship last February and an NCAA tournament win before losing to the eventual national champion Trinity College (Conn.) 92-76 in a true road game in the second round.

Story will be updated.