The men’s basketball team recognized five players during their senior day game on Saturday, Feb. 18 against the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Boston. The athletes being honored were team analytics intern Nick Redden and guards Jeric Cichon, Max Bonney-Liles, Tyler Dill and Edwin Ezedonmwen.
The Owls had a difficult time getting started as they played the entire first half behind. However, the men were able to cut the Beacon’s lead down by six points by the end of the first twenty minutes. The Owls ended the first half down 39-34.
Keene State came out firing in the second half, scoring nine points in the first minute and a half to go up 43-39. Four minutes into the second half, the Owls allowed the Beacons a one-point lead, however it lasted no more than ten seconds before the Owls took it back. From this point on, the Owls stayed in the lead for the remaining 16 minutes, finishing the game with a score of 92-77. This would secure their 24th victory of the season.
The Owls ended the game shooting 60 percent from the field, 65 percent from the three-point line, and 86 percent from the foul line. Sophomore captain and guard Octavio Brito had a 29 point game, making six out of his eight free throws, ten of 16 from field as well as adding five rebounds. Brito was one of four Owls in double-figures. Senior captain and forward Jeff Hunter was not far from a triple-double as he ended the game with 15 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists, five blocks and two steals.
Junior guard Mason Jean Baptiste also finished with a double-double, scoring 12 points, five rebounds and three assists. Fifth-year guard Jeric Cichon ended with 12 points and nine boards.
The fourth and final player to have a double-double this game was junior Nate Siow, who scored 12 points. Siow went three for five from the field, one for three from the three-point line and five for six on free throws. The Owls will host either number five seed UMass Boston again, or fourth-seeded Eastern Connecticut State University in the semi-finals of the Little East Conference (LEC) tournament Thursday night, Feb. 23.
Jill Diamond can be contacted at
jdiamond@kscequinox.com
