KSC Makes 17-of-27 From Deep, Rolls 109-85

KEENE, N.H. – Star junior guard and All-American Octavio Brito made eight threes and set a new career-high with 40 points as the No. 5-ranked Keene State College men's basketball team torched the nets on Saturday night, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the sixth time since 2004 with a 109-85 rout of Eastern University at a crowded and energetic Spaulding Gymnasium in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Division III tournament.

Records

• No. 5 Keene State:  26-3
• Eastern:  21-8

Highlights...coming soon
Postgame Press Conference (Keene State)…coming soon
Postgame Press Conference (Eastern)...coming soon

How It Happened
Brito and fellow All-American Jeff Hunter made sure this would not be their final game together – emphatically.  There was no doubt.  The duo combined for 60 points on 19-of-32 (59 percent) shooting, 23 rebounds, and nine assists as the Owls eased past an Eagles team that had won their first MAC Commonwealth conference championship, won their first NCAA tournament game in program history Friday, and had won eight straight entering the night.  KSC committed only one turnover in the first half while rolling out to a 54-36 lead and never let Eastern get closer than 16 in the second half, eventually leading by as many as 30.  The visitors trailed by double-figures for the final 27 minutes, and their only lead was 2-0.  Meanwhile, the Owls shot a blistering 17-for-28 (60.7 percent) in the second half and made 8-of-12 from deep, actually managing to shoot even better than their 9-for-15 effort from three in the opening 20 minutes.  Sometimes stats do tell the story.

KSC scored eight straight points after allowing the opening basket to take quick command, and they never let up much, taking a 20-11 advantage after a three-point play from Hunter 6:04 in.  The Eagles twice got within five after and were within 29-23 a little past the midway point of the first half, but the sizzling Brito who got hotter and hotter as the night went on drilled a pair of triples barely over a minute apart to put his team in front by 12 (35-23) a the 7:49 mark.  The Owls decimated Eastern's defense, answering a Jaron Fairweather three on the Eagles' next possession by running off 11 straight points to take a 46-26 lead with 4:31 to go capped by a Hunter block before Wesley Odiase scored on the other end.  Hunter tacked onanother bucket and free throw before Alonzo Linton drained KSC's ninth three of the half to make it 52-33, and the Owls carried an 18-point lead to the break (54-36).

If Brito's first half was impressive (16 pts., 5-9 FG, 4-7 3-PT, 4 reb., 2 asst.), he outdid himself after the break, pouring in 24 points while making 7-of-11 shots from the floor including four of six threes and six of eight at the charity stripe.  He also had five boards.  However, he was far from alone, as Hunter had his NCAA-leading (all divisions) 27th double-double in 29 games this season and 51st over the last two years (20 pts., 7-12 FG, 14 reb., 5 asst.).  Spencer Aronson continued a scorching shooting surge at precisely the right time of the season, scoring 14 points while making four of five from deep.  He is 12-for-22 over the past three games.  Nate Siow (seven assists) and Linton (3-4 3-PT) each had nine points.

The second half was more of the same – a KSC onslaught, of offense especially.  Brito turned his own steal on one end into a triple on the other end for a 61-39 lead with 16:43 left as the Owls opened on a 7-3 push.  Eastern scored on three consecutive possessions to trim six points off their deficit, but never managed anything other than mini-runs despite shooting 50 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes.  Mason Jean Baptiste canned a jumper with 13:26 to go to restore the lead to 19 (66-47), and another triple by Brito 49 seconds later made it 72-50.  The Eagles once more got as close as 16 following a fastbreak layup by Kaeshawn Ward with a little under 11 minutes to go, but Brito broke free along the baseline for a two-handed dunk and the hot-shooting Aronson buried another trey on KSC's next trip for an 80-59 lead.  Aronson hit again twice more in a minute span to make it 92-68.  The Owls led by as many as 30 in the closing minutes.

Eastern had five double-figure scorers and was led by 21 points and 13 rebounds from Zubair Lee (9-16 FG, 3-4 FT).  Ward had 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting, five rebounds, five assists, and two steals.

For KSC, it is their second time in program history reaching at least the Sweet 16 in consectutive seasons.  But based on press conferences and interviews over the course of the season, they are hungry for more.

Inside the Paint

• KSC has made the Sweet 16 six times since 2004, including in 2007, 2016, and 2023, prior to this year.  The Owls have also made the Elite Eight in 2004 and 2017.
• Brito's previous career high was 37, set December 3, 2022 at the University of Southern Maine.  He has seven career games with 30 points or more.
• Aronson is now shooting 40 percent from three on the season.  He has 21 double-digit scoring games in the last two seasons.
• KSC is 103-24 at Spaulding Gymnasium since the start of the 2014-2015 season and 54-5 in their last 59 games.
• Eastern received votes in the final in-season D3hoops.com Top 25 poll last Monday.  The Eagles had beaten Widener University, who was No. 3 in the initial selection committee Top 16 reveal, 98-69 in their league championship game.
• Keene State's 17 threes as a team were a new season-high and the most since making that many twice last season.  In the Owls' first two NCAA tournament games a year ago, they were a combined 15-for-50 (30 percent from three) (and shot 5-for-26 in their season-ending loss).  This year, they are at 26-for-50 (52 percent) in their first two March Madness games.

Up Next

• Late Saturday night, the Owls found out they will be traveling to Guilford College and Ragan-Brown Field House for the sectionals next weekend.  KSC will tip off against the Quakers (24-4, 13-3 ODAC), ranked No. 7 in the last in-season D3hoops.com Top 25 poll, on Friday, March 8 at 7:15 p.m.
• Eastern's season comes to a close.  They have won 20 games or more in two of the last three years.