KEENE, N.H. – Alonzo Linton and Wesley Odiase combined for 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting off the bench and Spencer Aronson added three triples and 11 points to be a third starter in double-figures as the No. 13 nationally-ranked Keene State College men's basketball team overcame foul trouble and a hot-shooting second half from Rhode Island College to post an 80-70 Little East Conference victory Saturday afternoon at The Murray Center.

Records

• No. 13 Keene State:  13-2, 7-0 LEC
• Rhode Island College:  11-5, 4-3 LEC

How It Happened
Defense carried the Owls to an early advantage, as KSC limited the Anchormen to a 12-for-40 (30 percent) showing from the field in the opening 20 minutes including a 5-for-33 (15 percent) mark for everybody not named Ousmane Kourouma while building a 14-point halftime lead.  Then, despite not producing a gaudy field goal percentage in the second half, baskets at key times were the name of the game as KSC extended their winning streak to five games and improved to 7-0 on the road. 

Much like they did Thursday night in a road win at Western Connecticut State University, the Owls started fast, opening a 12-4 lead in less than four minutes thanks to five points from Aronson, a three by Jeff Hunter, and four free throws.  It was a double-digit lead (18-8) at the 12:28 mark after buckets from Hunter and Linton, and the Anchormen were playing catchup all day and never did.  One major reason why was the play of the Owls' roster beyond All-Americans Hunter and Brito, particularly Linton, who scored in double-digits for a second consecutive game for the first time this season.  In the last two games, both road wins over top-half teams in the league standings, he combined for 29 points on 13-for-22 shooting – including a handful of important baskets to help KSC stop opposing runs.  Linton put KSC up 21-10 after draining a triple with 10:21 to go in the half, and four free throws from Odiase made it 27-12 two minutes later.  Jumpers on consecutive trips by that duo pushed Keene State's lead back to 15 (33-18) at the 5:43 mark, and the Owls carried a 41-27 lead into the locker room after ripping off eight consecutive points late in the half to lead by as many as 16.  Brito and Aronson each drilled three-pointers in that span as KSC went 5-for-14 from three in the opening 20 minutes and RIC just 1-for-10.

There was only one serious push by Rhode Island College in the second half, as they trimmed a 63-49 deficit with 8:54 to go to just six with a 10-2 push that took a little over three minutes.  As that was happening, both Hunter and Brito were on the bench with four fouls.  KSC had not been whistled for more than 17 fouls since November 28, and the 28 today were five more than their next highest total this season.  Either way, despite that, 57 percent (13-for-23) shooting from RIC in the second half, and playing a fourth game in seven days, KSC had plenty to finish.  Brito delivered a silencing three just five seconds after RIC had gotten within 65-59, and the Owls pushed back out to a 74-61 lead with 3:27 remaining following a layup from Jean Baptiste.  Hunter scored inside to make it a 14-point game again two possessions later, and consecutive baskets (one an offensive rebound putback) with less than two minutes to go made it 80-64.  Rhode Island College scored the final six points to set the final margin.

"Today was a great game for fans to watch," said Keene State coach David Hastings.  "Two Little East Conference teams went back and forth for a full 40 minutes.  Very proud of our second team to step up and play significant minutes while both Jeff and Octavio were on the bench with foul trouble."

Usually a formula for success, Keene State finished with five scores in double-figures, paced by Brito with 21 points despite 6-for-18 shooting from the field.  He went 7-for-8 at the foul line and added eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals.  Linton (6-12 FG) had 13 points and four rebounds and Aronson 11 points (4-6 FG, 3-4 3-PT) and two assists.  Hunter (10 pts., 4-8 FG, 6 reb., 2 blk.) and Odiase (2-3 FG, 6-7 FT, 7 reb.) rounded out the double-digit scorers.

The loss soured a career-best 34-point, 20-rebound effort from Kourouma (13-16 FG, 8-16 FT), who grabbed nine of his team's 16 offensive rebounds on the day.  The rest of the Anchormen were just 12-for-47 (26 percent).  Deyshawn Tengbeh finished with 12 points (4-10 FG), six rebounds, three assists, and two steals, and Isiah McCallam (4-9 FG) had 11 points and four boards as RIC lost a second consecutive game for the first time under first-year head coach Sam Ferry.

"We need to cut down on our fouls and rebound better as we move forward through the rest of conference play," said Hastings, referring to being outrebounded 49-40 on the day and by 19 in the past two games.  "But in defense of our guys, we have made two long road trips in three days and pulled out two victories.  Credit to our culture and veterans knowing how to lead our team through some adversity."

Inside the Paint

• KSC is 5-0 when Linton scores in double-digits this season, 5-0 when Odiase scores in double-digits this season, and 16-0 when Aronson scores in double-digits over the past two seasons.
• The Owls are 17-1 in their last 18 road games and 28-5 away from home dating to the start of the 2021-2022 season.
• Keene State has won nine straight against Rhode Island College – seven by 10 or more – and 18 of the last 20.
• KSC shot 42 percent (28-67) from the field, 7-of-21 (33 percent) from three, and 17-for-23 (74 percent) at the foul line while the Anchormen finished at a 40 percent (25-for-64) overall, 2-of-13 from deep, and 18-for-32 (56 percent) at the foul line.

Up Next

• The Owls return home to take on the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth (9-6, 6-1 LEC) on Wednesday (January 17) at 7:30 p.m.  The Corsairs edged Western Connecticut State University 87-84 at home today and are currently in second place, one game behind KSC.
• Rhode Island College visits Eastern Connecticut State University (4-12, 1-6 LEC) on the same night.