KEENE, N.H. – Competing in the Little East Conference men's basketball tournament semifinals for the 13th consecutive time, fourth-seeded Eastern Connecticut State University trailed only once in the first 15 minutes of the game but 55.6 percent shooting from the floor in the second half was not enough to carry the Warriors in an 83-61 loss to top-seeded Keene State College Thursday evening at Spaulding Gymnasium.
Eastern's (14-13) 22 turnovers – 13 in the second half – were its third-most this season and led to 21 Keene State (25-1) points. The Warriors shot well over 50 percent in the second half but allowed 47 points, nearly a third-of them coming off turnovers.
The Warriors, who finished the season with a 4-8 record away from their home court, led by seven two minutes into the game and trailed only once (by a point) through the first 15 minutes before Keene scored 14 straight points to turn a two-point Eastern lead into a 12-point Keene advantage with two minutes left in the half.
Senior guard Max Lee (Norwich) exploded for a season-high 20 points (9-of16 FG) and added nine rebounds for Eastern, with senior guard Tyreice Woods (Hartford) leading the Warriors with ten rebounds. Senior forward Quinton Lott (Bridgeport) added ten points. With the exception of Lott and Lee, Eastern's three remaining starters, however, were just 5-of-27 (18.5 percent) from the floor.
Keene was whistled for only 11 fouls in the game, which accounted for the host's +14 scoring advantage from the free throw line. The Warriors made their only free throw attempt in the first half.
On the heels of a 2-7 start this year, Eastern staged a remarkable turnaround by winning 12 and losing only five heading into Thursday's semifinal, including 11-4 against conference opponents. The Warriors avenged earlier conference losses in each of their final four contests prior to Thursday -- including a 62-58 victory over the University of Massachusetts Boston Tuesday in the first round of the LEC tournament – and brought a season-high five-game winning streak into Thursday's semifinal.
In their 17 games leading up to the semifinals, Eastern outscored, out-rebounded and outshot its opponent from the floor. Senior guard Jalen Williams (Simbury), first-year guard Dominick Dao (Terryville) and Woods all averaged double figures in those 17 games, with senior forward Rakesh Tibby (East Hartford) and Lott leading the team in rebounding, Woods in assists, Tibby in blocks and Lee in steals. Against Keene, Tibby was limited to 13 minutes off the bench due to a late-season injury.
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