Keene State Wins Second Straight Little East Conference Tournament Title

WILLIMANTIC, Conn.--Geissler Gym is turning into a second home for the Keene State College men's basketball team.  The Owls won their second consecutive Little East Conference tournament championship with an 86-81 win over UMass Dartmouth on Sunday afternoon.

Records

• Keene State: 18-10
• UMass Dartmouth: 17-11

What's Next

• The win give Keene State its third tournament championship, and fourth visit to the NCAA tournament.  The Owls also won tourney titles in 2004 and 2015, and received an at-large bid in 2007.
• Keene State will find out who and where they will play when the selections are announced on Monday at 12:30 p.m.  The selection show can be viewed by clicking here: http://www.ncaa.com/liveschedule/2016/02/29

Tale of the Tape

• Ty Nichols came off the bench to lead Keene State with 20 points.  Tournament Most Outstanding Player Nate Stitchell added 19, while Matt Ozzella had 16 and Tre' Tipton had 10.
• The Owls held the nation's leading scorer, Jordan Rezendes, to 22 points on 7-for-18 shooting, eight below his average.  Rezendes did not score in the second half.  Aven Jones netted 18 points for the Corsairs, while Jahleel Moise had 12 points and Abi Akanni 11.
• Keene State shot 46% from the field (27-59), and made six of 12 shots from behind the arc.  The Owls also knocked down 26 of 35 free throws, helping to offset a 47-37 rebounding advantage for UMass Dartmouth.  

First Half Highlights 

• As in the semifinal against Rhode Island College, the Owls got off to a slow start.  Rezendes and Akanni each nailed threes in a game opening 14-2 run over the first 4:35 of the game.
• Another three from Rezendes with 12:46 to go boosted the lead to 21-6, before consecutive baskets by Nate Howardpulled the Owls within 11.
• Keene State began to chip away, as Ozzella converted a three point play with 8:10 left in the half that made it a 28-20 game, and Stitchell was fouled on a three point attempt that dropped, and though he missed the free throw, the lead was down to five.
• Rezendes was fouled on a three on the next possession, making all three free throw attempts to restore the lead to eight, and made yet another three with 5:45 to go for a 39-26 lead.  
• Keene State ended the half on a 21-5 run, with eight of those points coming from Ozzella.  His three point play with 1:45 to go put Keene State in front 47-42 for Arinze Obiora scored with 29 seconds left in the half.

Second Half Highlights

• Akanni and Stitchell traded threes to open the second half, as Keene State never trailed again.  
• The Corsairs pulled within one on Atakan Akcam's free throw with 6:07 left, but could not get closer.  
• Back-to-back layups from Nichols, the second of which came with 3:23 to go, gave Keene State a 74-68 lead, and after Mendes got the Corsairs within one a final time with a three point play, Nichols had a three point play of his own to keep it a two possession game with 1:09 left.
• The Owls then went 9-for-10 at the foul line in the final minute to seal it.