KEENE, N.H. – The No. 2 seeded Keene State College men's basketball team used an 11-0 run to take a double-digit lead less than seven minutes into the game and was ahead by 16 less than 10 minutes in as they rolled to an 85-66 win over No. 5 seed New Jersey City University in the 2026 ECAC tournament championship game on Saturday afternoon at Spaulding Gymnasium.

Getting a chance to play different lineups and with an opportunity to close the season on a high note, the Owls (20-11) did just that, posting their fifth consecutive 20-win full season since the pandemic-riddled campaign in 2021.  After early hiccups on their home court, losing three games by a combined 13 points, KSC turned into their typical selves at Spaulding Gymnasium, winning their last 11 home games.  Since the beginning of the decade, they have won an astounding 69 of 78 games on their home court including twice advancing to the NCAA tournament Sweet 16 out of their own gym.

The NCAA tournament is where they will set their aspirations next season, and they will head into it with plenty of momentum, as they went 20-8 after an 0-3 start and won 14 of their final 17 games overall.  Cooper finishes the season averaging 20.8 points per game including nearly 41 percent from three, and he was his usual efficient self on this day, finishing with a team-best 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting.  Jordan McClain added a double-digit 15-point effort of his own, including scoring nine in the opening 20 minutes as KSC raced to a 41-24 halftime lead, leading by as many as 20.  The Owls then torched the net in the second half, shooting nearly 52 percent and making 8-of-17 from three.  Joe Fitzgerald and Jefferson Smock each scored eight on a combined 6-of-9 from the field in the final 20 minutes, with Fitzgerald making a pair from deep.  Edric Louissaint also went 2-for-3 from beyond the arc early in the first half, making both in a 39 second span to balloon a 17-7 lead to 16.  The Gothic Knights (16-13), who won two home games last weekend including over top-seeded University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg to advance, never threatened after that.  Nor did they have many answers for Cooper or Allyn Wright, who combined for 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the second half (4-of-5 from three).

Cooper was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, combining for 49 points over the three games after his remarkable 97 point output on 35-of-64 from the field in the Little East Conference tournament.  He was joined on the All-Tournament team by Wright (30 pts., 12-21 FG in the three games) and Gabe Marquis (37 pts., 10-21 FG).

All three of those Owls will be back as they turn their sights to the 2026-2027 season after graduating Leo Chaikin, Mitch Shettles, Liam Johnston, and Ryan Blakey.  Today marks the latest date in the calendar year KSC has ever played.  They hope to be doing the same next year, only in the NCAA tournament once again.  Head coach Steve Enright, entering his third season with the program, needs just seven wins to reach 100 for his career.  He is 43-17 over his first two seasons with the Owls, a winning percentage of .717, and is 26-3 at home.

Story will be updated.