Box Score KEENE, N.H. – Three missed baskets by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in the final 30 seconds tipped the tides in Keene State's favor on Saturday, as closing foul shots gave the Owls a 90-86 barnburner victory over the Corsairs at Spaulding Gym.
The Basics
Score: Keene State 90, UMass Dartmouth 86
Records: Keene State (12-5, 5-2 LEC) | UMass Dartmouth (11-6, 5-2 LEC)
How it Happened
The visitors held control early, with six-straight Corsair buckets capped by a 3-pointer from Tucker Bouchard (Kingston, Mass.) put the advantage at its highest of 10 points nine minutes in. Keene State chipped away in the next four minutes, and overtook the lead when Lucas Hammel (Methuen, Mass.) drained a 3-pointer, closing his team's 11-0 run. Keene State held onto the lead for the remainder of the half, and carried a 44-40 advantage into the break.
The four-point halftime lead would prove to be the difference, as both teams fired off an even 46 points apiece throughout the second stanza. After Keene State's lead ballooned to its highest point of 62-52, the Corsairs embarked on a 13-2 run over the next three minutes, going up a point when Arinze Obiora (Hyde Park, Mass.) buried a layup with 9:18 left.
Leads were traded in an evenly-played contest until a minute and a half remained. Owl Ty Nichols (Springfield, Mass.) wrapped up a traditional three-point play to give the hosts a two-point lead at 1:36, before UMass Dartmouth junior Josh Nelson (Providence, R.I.) sunk pair of free throws to tie the game with less than a minute remaining. With 33 ticks left, Keene State's Dizel Wright (Springfield, Mass.) tipped in the rebound, and after two missed shots by the Corsairs on the next trip down, Jeff Lunn (Nashua, N.H.) buried both free throws with seven seconds left to seal the game.
Inside the Numbers
- UMass Dartmouth's Nick Portelance (Fairhaven, Mass.) put forth his best outing of the season thus far, posting 20 points with 11 rebounds for his sixth double-double.
- The Corsairs were ultimately outdone by Keene State's 50 percent (28-of-56) shooting performance spanning both halves, while converting only 39 percent (31-of-78) themselves.
- Nelson and Joshua Imadiyi (Lynn, Mass.) both churned out their highest point totals yet in a Corsair uniform, both finishing with 14. Bouchard recorded 15 points, including three buckets from beyond the arc.
- Five Keene State players reached double-figures, led by Nichols' 23 points and six assists. Matt Ozzella (Medway, Mass.) put forth a 20-point, 12-rebound performance.
- UMass Dartmouth was outdone despite seeing 53 points from its bench on the contest.
- The Corsairs and Owls split the season series for the third time in the past four seasons. All-time, Keene State hold the advantage at 26-22.
Up Next
UMass Dartmouth will remain on the road to meet UMass Boston for the first time this season on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
