The Keene State Owls gave everything they had, but their comeback attempt ultimately fell short as their season came to an end Saturday night with a 93-78 loss to No. 4 Trinity College in the NCAA Tournament second round at Ray Oosting Gymnasium in Connecticut.
After a strong win in their opening game of the tournament against Clark College, the Owls’ clash with Trinity was set to be a great matchup. Keene State entered the contest looking to keep their postseason dreams alive, but they were in for a challenge against a Trinity team that had reached the Final Four last season. The Owls fought hard, erasing multiple double-digit deficits, but ultimately fell short as Trinity’s late-game execution made the difference.
The energy inside Roy Oosting Gymnasium was palpable as the game tipped off, but Keene State struggled to find any offensive rhythm early. The Owls shot just 30 percent from the field in the first half and were cold from beyond the arch, shooting just one for 15. Meanwhile, Trinity was not particularly sharp from the floor either but were able to make up the difference at the free throw line, going 12-13 in the opening 20 minutes. Keene State fell behind 12-4 in the opening minutes and spent much of the half trying to get back in the game. The Owls managed to cut the deficit to 20-16 with just over seven minutes to play, but two quick threes from the Bantams regained the cushion for the hosts. A late scoring drought saw the Owls put up just six points in the final six minutes, sending them into the locker room trailing 36-25.
However, Keene State refused to go quietly. After falling behind by 16 early in the second half, the Owls clawed their way back into contention. Fifth-year stars Octavio Brito and Mason Jean Baptiste fueled the run, with Brito sinking a three-pointer to make it 46-36 with 14:51 left to go. A flurry of baskets followed and with just under 10 minutes remaining, junior Liam Johnston drained a deep three to cut the Trinity lead to three points at 57-54 and put the Owls within one possession. From there Keene State seized some momentum, but then, just as it seemed that the game was within reach, Trinity answered. The Bantams drained a crucial three, followed by a layup to reclaim an eight point lead. The Owls continued to press, and when junior Ryan Blakey knocked down another three-pointer to make it 64-62 with 5:52 left, the game looked to be set up for a dramatic finish. Then, the Bantams took over. Trinity guard Henry Vetter delivered seven straight points, including a dagger three-pointer with 5:20 left that pushed the Bantams’ lead back to nine. The Owls had no answer as Trinity dominated the final minutes, sealing the victory with precise free-throw shooting down the stretch.
As the final buzzer sounded the Keene State players embraced, their NCAA Tournament journey coming to an end. The loss sees the Owls end a phenomenal four-year run that saw them win four straight LEC Championships and win at least one game in all of their appearances in the National tournament. The game also signified the end of an era for a remarkable senior class. Brito leaves as the program’s second all-time leading scorer with 2,206 points and two, surely three All-American awards, securing his place in school history alongside fellow seniors Jean Baptiste, Spencer Aronson and Nate Siow who together combined to score 5,344 points for the Owls. Jean Baptiste and Siow each joined the 41-member 1,000-point club.
On the stat sheet, Blakey led the scoring for the Owls, dropping 19 points off the bench including 5 three-pointers. Brito ended his career at Keene State with an 18-point performance and Jean Baptiste finished with 11 as the three highest scoring Owls. Vetter led the scoring for the advancing Bantams with 29 points as Trinity College finished 34-40 from the stripe, a large proponent in their late-game push to seal the victory. Keene State shot 40 percent on the night and Trinity just slightly bettered them with a 41.4 percent mark.
Looking forward to next season the Owls will embark under Head Coach Steven Enright for his second season in charge looking to maintain their LEC dominance with a strong returning core. Stars like sophomore Wesley Odiase, and juniors Leo Chaikin and Mitch Shettles will be returning, looking to build on the legacy of this year’s graduating class.
Elías Stowell Alemán can be contacted at
estowellaleman@kscequinox.com
