KSC Improves to 4-0 in Conference Ahead of Important Three-Game Week

BOSTON, Mass. – Octavio Brito finished with 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four blocks to pace four Owls in double-figures as the Keene State College men's basketball team pulled away from the University of Massachusetts-Boston for an 82-71 Little East Conference victory Saturday afternoon at the Clark Athletic Center.

The Owls (9-3, 4-0 LEC) raced out to a 10-0 lead in the opening 5:02 as it seemed like it would be a runaway, but the Beacons (7-6, 2-3 LEC) had a lead less than five minutes later as they went on a 14-3 run.  The pesky hosts stretched their lead to as many as five (23-18) on a layup by Emanuel Zayas with 6:19 left in the first half, only to see the Owls re-establish control with a 14-0 run that took 4:38.  The Owls made 5-of-9 from the floor in that span with Brito and Spencer Aronson each scoring five points.  Brito's three-point play at the 3:11 mark made it 27-23 and a triple by Mitch Shettles with 1:23 to go in the half put KSC up nine (32-23).  Despite shooting just 35 percent, the Owls carried a 34-25 lead into the locker room as they held UMB to a 32 percent (11-for-34) mark.

Both teams' shooting marks heated up in the second half, and eventually KSC shook a Beacons team that entered having lost three of their last four games.  The Owls immediately went up 38-25 with layups by Aronson and Nate Siow in the opening two minutes and it was still 42-29 a minute later, but UMass-Boston drew within fix following baskets from Zayas and Raphel Laurent on consecutive possessions with 14:11 to go.  Brito answered with a dunk and Mason Jean Baptiste a three to push the lead back to double-digits again, and a triple by Ryan Blakey made it 56-43 with 12:21 left.  A four-point play by Zayas brought the Beacons' deficit under 10 for what turned out the be the final time, as Liam Johnston answered with a three of his own to jumpstart a 15-5 run that took 5:47 to push KSC's lead to 71-52.  Brito punctuated the run with a four-point play of his own with 6:22 left.  The Owls held UMass-Boston to just 2-of-10 from the field during that surge.  Connor Walden hit from beyond the arc to briefly chip the Beacons' deficit to 12 (71-59) with five minutes to go, but KSC hit back with a three by Aronson, a steal and dunk by Brito, and a layup by Siow for a 78-59 advantage.  After trailing 80-61 with 2:26 left, UMB closed on a 10-2 burst to set the final margin.

Brito's 27 points helped him surpass 1,800 career points – currently sitting at 1,826 and in fifth alone on KSC's all-time scoring list.  He is 97 points away from three-year teammate and fellow All-American Jeff Hunter '24, who is fourth with 1,923 points.  Joining Brito in double-figures was Aronson, Jean Baptiste, and Siow with 10 points apiece.  Aronson added four rebounds and three steals while showing 2-of-5 from distance.  Siow, who also grabbed six rebounds, is now 42 points away from reaching 1,000 for his career.  Off the bench, Blakey had six points, six rebounds, and two assists while Shettles was 2-of-4 from deep and also finished with six points.

KSC forced Boston into 18 turnovers and had a 24-12 edge in points off miscues.

"Offensively we were stagnant in the first half, but were able to move the ball better in the second half," said Keene State head coach Steve Enright.  "Defensively we did a good job executing coverages but broke down late in the possession too often.  It was good to get a conference win on the road…on to Eastern Connecticut."

Zayas led UMass-Boston with 19 points, eight rebounds, six steals, and five assists, but he shot 7-of-23 from the field and turned the ball over five times.  Laurent (8-14 FG) added 17 points and four rebounds, but also had five miscues, while Walden had 12 points (4-6 FG, 1-1 3-PT, 3-4 FT), and five rebounds.

KSC is one of two teams with unbeaten conference records heading into an important three-game week that sees them host both Western Connecticut State University (4-1 LEC) and Rhode Island College (5-0) on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.  The Owls open the week with a road contest at Eastern Connecticut State University (9-3, 1-3 LEC) Tuesday (January 14) at 4:00 p.m.  KSC has won six straight in the series.  UMass-Boston hosts the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth (3-9, 0-4 LEC) on the same day at 4:00 p.m.  The Corsairs are coming off a 98-91 road loss to Vermont State University Castleton, and are at the bottom of the conference standings having lost to three 1-3 teams just ahead of them.