DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth shot a blistering 61.1 percent (22-of-36) from the field in the opening half to overpower second-seeded Keene State College, 108-68, in the 2021 Little East Conference Men's Basketball Championship Tournament. The Corsairs scored the second most points in a conference championship game to capture their 12th LEC title and first since 2009.
Junior
Marcus Azor (Brockton, Mass.) was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Azor reached double digits in scoring for the second time this week with 13 points, while pulling down seven rebounds, and dishing out seven assists. For the two-game tournament, he averaged 21.0 points, eight rebounds, and five assists per game.
UMass Dartmouth (8-2) shot a season-high 57.7 percent (45-of-78) from the floor, including a season-best 46.9 percent (15-of-32) from behind the 3-point arc. The Corsairs spread the ball around with a season-high 23 assists, while committing only six turnovers. UMass Dartmouth also recorded a 47-40 edge on the glass.
Senior Jarron Stanos (East Providence, R.I.) scored a season-high 19 points, including five triples, and five assists to lead four Corsairs in double figures. Junior
Adam Seablom (Lakeville, Mass.) contributed 14 points, while freshman
Isaac Percy (Pittsfield, Mass.) added 11 points. Each member of the program entered the scoring column, including a career-high eight points from freshman
Austin Macek (Berkley, Mass.).
UMass Dartmouth never trailed in the contest as sophomore
Jackson Zancan (Cumberland, R.I.) drained a 3-pointer from the top of the arc. Seablom and Percy sandwiched five-point runs between a Keene State basket to build the lead to 13-4 just three minutes into the game. The Owls connected on back-to-back triples to trim the deficit to 15-12.
UMass Dartmouth utilized a decisive 19-3 run, including 15 unanswered points, to race out to a 38-19 advantage. Santos buried a pair of triples to key the surge, while Azor added four points. The Corsairs never let their lead dip below 19 points and took a 52-27 advantage into the locker room.
The Corsairs maintained their offensive pressure in the early stages of the second stanza, using an 8-2 run to pad their advantage to 31 points (61-30). Keene State (6-3) was never able to chip into its deficit as the hosts ballooned their lead to a game-high 40 points multiple times during the final nine minutes of regulation.
DeVon Beasley scored 13 points and dished out three assists to lead Keene State, while Jeff Hunter and Justin Williams each registered 10 points. James Anozie collected a team-best seven rebounds and Nate Siow added three helpers.
UMass Dartmouth limited the Owls 33.3 percent (24-of-72) from the field, including 18.5 percent (5-of-27) from long range.
