KSC Men’s Basketball Heading NCAA Tournament
A year after the worst season as a Division III member, the Keene State College men’s basketball team are the champions of the Little East Conference Tournament. The Owls won their second ever tournament title with a 75-57 win over Rhode Island College on Saturday. The Owls, 8-17 in 2013-14, completed a stunning run through the tournament by beating top seeded Eastern Connecticut State University in the semifinals and No. 2 seed RIC in the final. It’s the first time the Owls have defeated the Anchormen in the LEC tournament - KSC had lost all five previous meetings, including title tilts in 2007 and 2013. It’s the first win for KSC over RIC since a 92-91 on January 14, 2012.
It’s the second tournament title for the Owls (20-8), who also won in 2004. KSC will travel to Baltimore, Md., to take on Johns Hopkins University in the opening round of the tournament on Friday, March 6.
Senior Tom Doyle, the Owls leading scorer and the only senior on the team, was named the Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Doyle, who had scored 35 in the quarterfinals against Western Connecticut State and 30 against Eastern Connecticut State in the semifinals, had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Rhode Island was making its ninth straight appearance in the final, having won six titles in the previous eight years. Keene gains the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament as the conference champion.
Keene never trailed after the opening point of the game and after holding a one-point lead at the break, outscored RIC 41-24 in the second half. Wright, who left the game in the first half due to a shoulder injury, bounced back to score 16 points in the second half, sinking eight of nine field goals. He turned the ball over only once in 34 minutes in the game.
“I’m so incredibly proud of our guys,” said head coach Rob Colbert. “We dug deep and didn’t let their first half comeback phase us.” KSC had led 18-5 in the first half but the Anchormen closed to 34-33 at halftime.
Dizel Wright scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half, and sophomore swingman Matt Ozzella added 13 of his 18 points in the second half, connecting on eight of nine free throws. The Owls were 16-of-20 from the stripe in the second half, 29-of-37 in the game. This will be the third trip to the tournament for Keene State, who reached the Elite 8 in 2004 and the Sweet 16 in 2007.
