Owls travel to unfriendly Tripp Center on Saturday

            KEENE, N.H. 1/20/12 – Over the years, the trip to the Tripp Center at UMass-Dartmouth hasn’t been a pleasant experience for the Keene State College men’s basketball team. Not only have the Owls gone 4-11 at the Tripp Center since joining the Little East Conference in 1997–98, but they’ve suffered some of the programs’ toughest losses. In its first season in the LEC, Keene State lost to the Corsairs in the conference championship; then in 2001 they squandered a late-game lead before falling in overtime. In a late-season game in 2000, the Owls lost the services of then junior Chris Coates to a knee injury at UMD, essentially putting an end to the team’s championship aspirations.
            But that’s all history, as far as Keene State Coach Rob Colbert is concerned. “These kids weren’t even born when that happened,” he joked.
            While that might be the case, the fact remains that no one on the Owl roster has ever tasted victory at the Tripp. The last time the Owls flew back from North Dartmouth with a win was in 2005–06, when KSC swept both regular season games as well as a home tournament semifinal game against the Corsairs.
            The last time the two teams played back on Dec. 3 at Spaulding Gym, Keene State waltzed to an uncharacteristic 92-55 victory over UMass-Dartmouth. Colbert says that game was ancient history. “I’m not even watching the game from last time because it was a long time ago. Both rosters have changed tremendously,” he said. “I think it’s more important to watch them lately.”
            Fast forwarding to the present, Colbert says the Corsairs’ 8-8 (2-4 LEC) record is deceiving. “Just about all their games have been very close,” Colbert points out, including last Tuesday when they were outscored in the final minutes in a 61-57 loss on the road at Rhode Island College.
            Winners of four of its last five games since returning from Florida, Keene State (11-4, 5-1 LEC) is looking to ride the wave that has included an upset win over nationally-ranked Rhode Island College and an emotional 71-61 victory over rival Plymouth State on Tuesday. As far as Colbert is concerned, it’s all about keeping up with the “Joneses” (i.e. Eastern Conn.) in the league. “If we hope to compete and get to first place, we’ve got to keep pace with what everyone else is doing, and UMass-Dartmouth is the next team in the way,” he said.
            Unlike the Owl men, the Keene State women have had their share of successes on the Tripp Center court, winning 11 of the 14 games they have played at North Dartmouth in LEC play. The Owls have reeled off six straight road wins against the Corsairs, last losing at UMD in the semifinals of the 2004 tournament.
            The Corsairs (9-6, 2-4 LEC) lost three of their last four games and were steamrolled 62-23 by LEC front-runner Rhode Island College on Tuesday. Keene State (9-6, 4-2 LEC), in a three-way tie for second place in the LEC, is looking to build on Tuesday’s 70-42 win over Plymouth State. The Owls rolled to a 71-62 victory over UMD earlier this season at Spaulding Gym.
            Keene State Coach Keith Boucher says his team must improve its outside shooting if it hopes to continue its winning ways at the Tripp Center. “We’re going to have to make some perimeter shots, and we haven’t been doing much of that lately,” he said.
            The last time both Owl teams posted wins at the Tripp Center was back in 2005. They hope not to trip up on Saturday so they can do that again.