KEENE, N.H. – The Keene State College men's basketball team did not take their first lead of Saturday's game until 6:39 remained, but once they got it, they poured it on with a late flurry and eventually ran away with a 103-88 Little East win over Rhode Island College on Senior Day at Spaulding Gymnasium.
 
Records

• Keene State:  5-1, 5-1 LEC
• Rhode Island College:  1-5, 1-5 LEC

How It Happened
The story seemed much like a repeat of Sunday's 86-75 home loss to UMass-Dartmouth initially, with KSC falling into a double-digit deficit very quickly and struggling to have to play catch-up the entire game, but a dominant final ten minutes that saw the Owls whitewash the Anchormen 35-12 ensured a different and preferred outcome for the home team.  Trailing 76-68 after freshman Dante Law, who scored 25 points on 10-for-19 shooting for RIC, connected on a pull-up jumper, it was all Keene State after that, as they scored 13 of the next 18 points to tie the game for the first time at 81 on Mason Jean Baptiste's rhythm three off a cross-court pass from fellow freshman Nate Siow.  Siow then took it right to the basket on the Owls' next trip for their first lead of the game (83-81), and KSC tacked on five more points in a row to make it 88-81 at the 5:34 mark, going from down eight to up seven in less than five minutes. 
 
Rhode Island College briefly got within three (88-85) after two Shion Darby free throws with 4:13 remaining, but KSC's onslaught resumed promptly, with Jeric Cichon and James Anozie each dishing to each other for layups on consecutive possessions about a minute later for a 94-85 edge.  In just their first year as Owls, Siow and Jean Baptiste provided the exclamation point on the afternoon, scoring nine in a row for a game-high 103-86 Owl lead with 49 seconds left.  KSC outscored the Anchormen by 23 points over the final 10:17, shooting 14-of-20 (70 percent) from the field in that span while not turning the ball over.  Rhode Island College only had one miscue (and nine for the game), but was held to 4-for-19 – with one make coming with two seconds left – in the game-deciding stretch.  After shooting 57 percent (21-of-37) in the opening half, the visitors were limited to 36 percent (14-for-39) after the break.  KSC heated up from 47 percent in the opening half to 58 percent (23-for-40) after, finishing at 53 percent for the game.
 
The Owl turnaround came after the Anchormen had zipped out to a 10-0 lead in the opening 2:06 and connected on by far their hottest shooting half of the season.  As they did against UMD last Sunday, KSC continually tried to claw back after the quick deficit, but could not string enough stops together initially and later found themselves trailing 35-27 at the 7:04 mark of the first half and 50-44 at halftime.  Law had 16 of his 25 points in the opening 20 minutes and Darby added 10 before finishing with 24 on 9-of-23 shooting.  Ousmane Kourouma had 12 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out.
 
Keene State put six in double-figures, led by another double-double for Jeff Hunter (his fifth), who finished with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting (3-for-3 from deep) and 16 rebounds.  The Owl sophomore big man from Hudson, Mass. is averaging 19.7 points and 14.3 rebounds this season.  He entered the day tied for most rebounds per game in the country among those who have qualified.  Siow added 19 points (8-15 FG) and five assists, while Jean Baptiste finished with 18 points (7-14 FG, 3-8 3-PT), four rebounds, and two assists.  Cichon (14 pts., 7 reb., 5 asst.), Anozie (12 pts.) and Jordan Santos (10 pts.) rounded out those in double-digits.
 
Inside the Paint

• Hunter is shooting 62 percent from the field this year after a strong 53 percent showing in 26 games in his rookie season.  Jean Baptiste is currently connecting on 37 percent (16-for-43) from distance.
• The Owls' win coupled with UMass-Dartmouth losing 87-85 in overtime at Eastern Connecticut State University after seeing a 21-point lead vanish in the final 10 minutes moved Keene State ahead of the Corsairs by a half-game for first in the conference standings.
• KSC is 30-27 all-time against RIC and has won 12 of the past 14 meetings.  The Owls won this season's first matchup 102-82 in Providence.
• The Owls are 53-16 at Spaulding Gymnasium in head coach Ryan Cain's six seasons.

Up Next

• Keene State travels to Eastern Connecticut (4-2, 2-2 LEC) on Wednesday (February 24) for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off.
• Rhode Island College currently has no more games scheduled, as both of their contests against Castleton University were wiped away when the Spartans cancelled their season on February 4 and both games against Plymouth State University are postponed with no make-up dates yet.