Women’s Basketball
The Keene State women’s basketball team celebrated their two seniors on their final Little East Conference regular season game. Not only did they celebrate their seniors Amanda Petrow and Steph D’Annolfo, they also acquired their seventh straight win.
Shelby Iava/ Sports Editor
Sandi Purcell made an impact in this game; she had a career-best of 30 points and connected eight three-point shots. She finished the game by shooting 11-for-19 from the field, four assists, two rebounds and three steals. Emily McPadden added 18 points, while the two seniors both rounded out the double-digits scoring 14 and 13 points.
Rhode Island College (RIC) began the first quarter with a small lead of 6-3, but Purcell hit her first three to tie it up to six points each with 6:46 left on the clock. RIC held a three-point lead with a layup to make it 14-11, but a layup and a free throw from Petrow tied the game at 14. RIC added a free throw and two layups in the final minutes to take the lead over the Owls as time ran out. RIC was up 19-16.
Tying the game up again at 21 points apiece, with 6:54 left in the first half, the Owls’ offense lit up. The Owls scored 15 unanswered points and grabbed a 36-21 lead on RIC. Purcell added another three with 2:33 remaining on the clock. RIC would finish off the half with five straight points, but Keene State still remained on top, 36-26.
The Owls scored the first 14 points of the quarter to widen the gap to 24 points over RIC. Purcell started the run with a three and Petrow added a layup. The Owls were up by 31, and as the third was ending, Purcell passed to ball to McPadden, and she hit a three. The Owls were on top 63-40 at the end of the third.
The fourth quarter started out with back and forth baskets. McPadden converted back-to-back threes, pushing the Owls forward. The Owls sank six free throws to cap off the end of the game, 82-60
Men’s Basketball
Men’s basketball almost cut it too close in a game against Rhode Island College (RIC) on Feb. 18 in the Spaulding Gymnasium. In the beginning of the game, there were seven seniors honored. Jaquel Edwards, Lucas Hammel, Matthew Ozzella, Jeffrey Lunn, Rodney Jean-Marie, Matthew Sherlock and graduate student Nick Gagliolo.
Shelby Iava/ Sports Editor
RIC was able to get an early lead on the Owls in the beginning of the first half, opening up a 10-2 lead. RIC knocked down three-pointers in just the first four minutes. Keene State then had a huge run of 31-8 over the next nine minutes. Damonte Turner scored the first three of the game, putting KSC up by one, 13-12, with 11:39 left in the half. The first-year sank another set of two three-pointers and widened the gap, 25-15. RIC hit a three and cut the lead to 31-18, but Turner sank his fourth three, 33-18. Ozzella sank a three of his own, and then two free throws, while Turner ran up for a layup. RIC sank a three, ending the half 44-31.
The second half opened up and Edwards converted a three-point play, giving the Owls a 56-43 advantage. RIC found motivation, outscoring the Owls 13-2 over the next three minutes. RIC was within two points of the Owls. Hammel hit a three on the next possession and restored a five-point lead. After that, KSC never turned their back. Ozzella hit a free throw and then stole the inbound pass, finishing it up with a shot to make it 70-53, Keene State. RIC gave the Owls their biggest lead in the second half with a layup in the final minute of the game. The Owls took home the win, 80-64.
Shelby Iava can be contacted at siava@kscequinox.com
