KSC Makes 15 Threes, Opens Season of High Expectations With 105-69 Blowout

KEENE, N.H. – Junior guard Octavio Brito reached 1,000 career points, senior center Jeff Hunter reached 1,000 career rebounds, and acting head coach David Hastings notched his first career collegiate head coaching victory as it was a night of milestones for the nationally No. 4 ranked Keene State College men's basketball team in a 105-69 rout of Western New England University at Spaulding Gymnasium in the Owls' 2023-2024 season opener Saturday night.

Records

• No. 4 Keene State:  1-0
• Western New England:  1-1

How It Happened
Coming off a 28-2 season and the program's fifth trip to the Sweet 16 since 2004, the Owls did not miss a beat – or many shots – as they began a season filled with anticipation with a victory that was almost never in doubt.  Brito, Hunter, and newcomer Alonzo Linton were a key factor in making it that way, as the trio combined for 62 points and went 13-for-25 (52 percent) and 22-for-41 (54 percent) from the floor overall and made all five of their free throws.  Hunter (11 rebounds) and Linton (10 rebounds) each had double-doubles while also adding four assists as KSC as a team finished with 25 assists against just 11 turnovers.  Mason Jean Baptiste, lost in the spotlight of the many milestones, turned in an impressive 19 point (6-13 FG, 4-6 3-PT, 3-3 FT), three steal, three assist effort as KSC put four in double-figures and shot over 50 percent in each half.

The Owls never trailed after the opening two minutes of the game, and steadily built their lead from there, going up 19-11 on consecutive layups by Linton and Brito on back-to-back trips, capping a 12-4 burst that broke a 7-7 tie.  A Jean Baptiste triple at the 11:11 mark put Keene State ahead by double-digits, and aside from a basket by Gavin Greene 25 seconds later, the Owls' lead never dripped below 10 again.  A layup and bucket by Jean Baptiste followed by a two from Tahmeen Dupree made it 29-14, and a trey by Linton with 7:37 left in the half had KSC in front 32-18.  Jean Baptiste made it a 17-point gap (39-22) a few minutes later, and the Owls dropped a hammer late in the half to run away.  Western New England briefly made it a 13-point game, including a bucket by Greene at the 4:07 mark, but was subsequently outscored 12-1 over the remainder of the half.  Keene State carried a 53-29 lead into halftime after Linton remained hot and drained two threes within 25 seconds and Brito one of his own just ahead of the buzzer – with the pair combining for three in the final 1:15 – as part of nine consecutive points that blew the game wide open.  KSC made eight threes (on 17 attempts) in the first half and shot 54 percent overall including sinking all five free throws.  They also forced 11 turnovers from the Golden Bears while committing just two themselves.  Jean Baptiste and Linton were each 3-for-4 from deep.

Keene State's avalanche continued in the second half, as treys from Nate Siow and Jean Baptiste helped push the lead to 30 (65-35) less than four minutes in, and Brito connected from distance again to move within three points of 1,000 at the 15:44 mark, making it 71-37.  The trey came just seconds (and a media timeout) after fellow D3hoops.com preseason All-American Hunter became only the third player in program history to grab 1,000 rebounds in their career.

Brito had the spotlight shined on him not long after, as he drained another three with 11:57 to go that put the Owls up 76-41 while also becoming the 39th member of KSC's 1,000 career point club, joining Hunter in that group (who reached the milestone in December of last season).

Keene State kept raining down triples from there, as Liam Johnston connected with 8:20 left for a 92-56 advantage and long balls on consecutive possessions from Brito and Linton made it 98-60 barely over two minutes later.  The Owls reached 100 with 3:29 left and led by as many as 39.  They assisted on 25 of 38 made field goals (66 percent) while giving Hastings his first career win in a game that looked like what Owl fans have been accustomed to seeing in recent years at Spaulding Gymnasium.  Hastings has been with the program as an assistant coach since the 2016-2017 campaign, a span in which KSC has gone now 127-55 (.698).

"I thought the game went well for us, but the score is a bit misleading," said Hastings.  "There are number of areas that we need to improve on.  With that said, our culture of playing together was very evident.  The entire team was looking to help both Jeff and O reach their personal milestones in this particular game due to us being on the road for the next three.  That is also a testament to our desire, additionally, to excel at home."

Jake Harrison paced Western New England with 17 points (5-7 FG, 6-13 FT), nine rebounds and three assists.  Greene added 16 on 7-of-12 shooting (2-3 3-PT), but the two combined for nine turnovers.  The Golden Bears were outscored 20-3 off miscues and 18-2 on fastbreaks.

Keene State finished 15-for-35 (43 percent) from three-point range, and that includes misfiring in their final three attempts late.

"Most importantly about the first win...it's the first win for this team this year," added Hastings.  "For me personally, there was a special feeling to get my first college win on Veteran's Day.  I am proud of my service to this great country and greatly respect all the men and women who have served in the past, are serving, or will be serving in the future."

Inside the Paint

• The Owls finished 14-for-17 (82 percent) from the free throw line.  They shot 66 percent as a team from the stripe last season.
• Brito's 1,000 points have come in 59 games (53 starts).  He shot 10-of-17 from the floor overall tonight (58 percent) after recording a 47 percent mark overall and 44 percent from three last season.
• Hunter joins only Dave Terry (1969-1971; 1,252 rebounds) and Al Hicks (1972-1976; 1,076 rebounds) as the only Owls in program history to grab 1,000 boards.
• Six Owls had at least three assists on the evening, paced by five from Dupree, who made his first career start with KSC after emerging as a key piece after transferring from Nichols College in December last year.
• KSC has won four of six meetings in the all-time series, including three of four at home (two by over 30 points).
• The game marked the Owl debuts of Linton, Wesley Odiase (nine points), Isaac Ogutuga (four points), Damani Scott (three points), Jacobe Thomas, and Steven Cordero.

Up Next

• Keene State heads to Aberdeen, S.D. for the Small College Basketball Champions Classic on Wednesday.  They will take on Stockton University (1-1) on Friday, November 17.  Tip-off is at 1:00 pm ET.  The teams have met only twice, with the Owls taking the last meeting 72-71 on the road in the first round of the 2016 NCAA tournament.
• Western New England travels to Eastern Connecticut State University (0-2) for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off on Wednesday, November 15.