Keene State Hoop Teams Set for LEC Semifinals

KEENE, N.H. 2/25/09 - After posting Little East Conference quarterfinal tournament victories at Spaulding Gym on Tuesday night, Keene State College men's and women's basketball teams will hit the road for semifinal games on Friday. Both teams will have their hands full, playing the tournament's top seeds on their turf.

The fourth seeded Keene State women (20-6) will travel to Willimantic, Conn. to take on top seed Eastern Conn. State University (24-2) in a 5:30 p.m. game.  The Owl, men (12-13), also a fourth seed, head to Providence for a 6 p.m. game against top seed and two-time defending tournament champs R.I. College (22-4).

Senior forward Tyler Kathan (Ludlow, Vt.) had a game high 32 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Owls to a 100-75 quarter final victory over fifth seed Eastern Connecticut. Senior forward Nate Anderson (Westminster, Mass.) finished with a double-double, scoring 17 points and pulling down 13 rebounds.  Freshman forward Derek D'Amours (Agawam, Mass.) also chipped in with 17 points. 

Freshman forward Mason Choice scored 13 of his team high 17 points in the first half to lead Rhode Island College past eighth seeded Southern Maine, 73-57, in its quarterfinal game.  It was the 13th straight win for the Anchormen, equally the program record set in 1971.  RIC is hosting the semifinals and finals of the conference tournament for the second time in three years.

Second seed UMass-Dartmouth will face sixth seed Western Conn. in the second semi  final men's game.  The championship game will be played Saturday (5 p.m.)

The Owls, who won the championship in 2004, will be going up against the Anchormen for the third straight season in tournament play.  RIC has won both previous encounters, defeating KSC 87-75 in the 2007 finals and holding off the Owls 68-63 in a semifinal contest last year.   KSC Coach Rob Colbert says the Anchormen are loaded.  "They're talented, athletic, and deep at every position," he said.  "They're also a mature team that knows how to play in big games."

"I'm excited about playing them," said Kathan.  "We're going to play as hard as we can and hope to come out with a win."

The two teams split their two regular season games, winning on each other's court.  The Owls surprised the Anchormen 85-81 in an overtime game in Providence while RIC returned the favor with a 93-72 victory in Keene.

"If we play with the same energy and emotion as we did against Eastern, I like our chances," said Colbert, who enters the game with 190 career coaching wins, one shy of tying Owl legend Sumner Joyce for second on KSC's all-time list.

Junior guard Kristin Degou (Newburyport, Mass.) had a game high 21 points to lead the Keene State women to their 66-50 quarterfinal victory over fifth seed and rival Plymouth State .

Second seed Western Conn. goes up against third seed Southern Maine in the second semifinal contest. The women's final is scheduled for Saturday (4 p.m.).

The Owls will be facing the Warriors for the third time in the tournament.  ECSU defeated KSC 69-45 in a 1998 quarterfinal game.  Keene State has won the last two meetings, upsetting the Warriors 54-51 in a 1999 first-round game and 64-53 in the semifinal round of the 2005 tournament.

Despite dropping both regular season contests to the 17th ranked Warriors (64-61 in Keene and 69-45 in Willimantic) KSC Coach Keith Boucher says his team is looking forward to the game.  "It's going to be a great challenge," he said. "When we played them last week, we got down with eight or nine minutes left and I thought our player let down and weren't scratching and clawing like we have all year long.  I'm just hoping we'll go down there and execute and give them a great game. "

"I think we can play with anybody in the conference," said Degou.  "We just have to play hard for 40 minutes and string together two good halves.  I think we can give them a run for their money."

Eastern has won three tournament championships (1992, 1996, and 2008) while Keene State is looking for its first title.

If you are unable to make the trip to Willimantic, Conn., or Providence, LittleEast.tv will video-stream each of the three games this weekend, free of charge.