Corsairs Fall to Conference-Leading Keene State

 
KEENE, N.H. – The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth men's basketball team struggled to find their range as they fall to #5 ranked (d3hoops.com) Keene State University on Wednesday evening. The one-loss Owls were led by Jeff Hunter (senior) who tallied 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. 
 
The Corsairs dropped to 6-16 overall and hold a Little East Conference (LEC) record of 5-8. On the other side, Keene State continues to roll at 22-1 for the season and remain on top of the LEC with a perfect 14-0 record.
 
Three Corsairs put up double-figures, led by fifth year Dhalyn Sanders-Dyer with 16 points and five rebounds. Jackson Zancan (senior) and Michael Eurquhart Jr. battled inside and each netted 10 points. Zancan hauled in seven boards and Erquhart grabbed nine. 
 
Alongside Hunter's game-high 21 points, the Owls scoring was led by junior Mason Jean Baptiste (12 pts.) and sophomore Octavio Brito (11 pts., 7 reb.). The guards of Keene State displayed their strength defending the perimeter, causing the Corsairs to go 0-for-9 from behind the arc.
 
Jayquan Leonard led the scoring attack for UMassD early on, scoring all eight of his points in the first half. The Corsairs' struggles from deep helped the Owls begin to pull ahead towards the end of the half, with Keene State getting some big threes from Jean Baptiste and Liam Johnston (freshman). The first half concluded with KSU leading, 40-33.
 
Keene state shot a scorching 5-of-9 (53.3%) from deep for the game, and the Corsairs were unable to keep up as the clock ticked away. The teams were dead even inside the paint with 42 points inside, each, telling how the difference in the contest came from range. After a late series of deep balls from the Owls, the Corsairs fell down 20 with three minutes remaining. The LEC-leaders went on to win 82-65 in Keene.   
 
UMassD men's basketball returns to the Tripp Center on Saturday for a 3:00 PM Little East battle with Plymouth State (9-14, 2-12 LEC).