Eastern (5-11, 2-6 little east) had tied the game 54-all with 33 seconds left on a three-pointer from deep in the corner by sophomore guard Geoffrey Richardson (HARTFORD) After a timeout, Davis inbounded to freshman guard David Sontag (Mont Vernon, NH) at midcourt with 27.3 seconds left. Sontag ran into traffic as he drove into the lane with time winding down but his jump-pass found Davis all alone. The bucket was only the second of the game for Davis, averaging nine points per game.
Eastern senior guard Mike Bartunek (DURHAM) had set up Richardson’s game-tying three-pointer. Keene (12-7, 5-4 little east) had possession of the ball and a three-point lead but Bartunek knocked the ball off of Sontag in the corner to give Eastern possession. Moments later, junior guard Michael Stallings (WATERBURY) drove the lane and fanned the ball out to a wide-open Richardson, who tied the game at 54 with 33 seconds left.
The conference leader in free-throw percentage, Keene shot over 80 per cent from the stripe for the fourth straight game. The Owls were 15-for-18, Eastern just 12-for-24.
Junior forward Ben Maynard (Nobleboro, ME) helped Keene to a plus-nine rebounding margin by grabbing a game-high 15 to go along with 14 points. Sontag led all playes with 15 points. Eastern senior forward Jeroy Smith (NEW HAVEN) led Eastern with 11 points.
The win is the eighth straight over Eastern for Keene, last year’s conference regular-season and playoff champion and an NCAA Elite Eight qualifier.
Eastern was playing its first home game in three weeks and first home game since the Jan. 20 death of senior guard Antwoine Key.
Eastern hosts conference leader Plymouth State Saturday at 3 p.m.