News Release

KEENE, NH — KEENE, N.H. 2/24/06- Sean Sullivan (Athol, Mass.) had a game-high 28 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead top seed Keene State College to a 86-77 victory over fifth seed UMass-Dartmouth in a semifinal game of the Little East Conference men’s basketball tournament at Spaulding Gym on Friday night.
Keene State (20-6) will play second seed UMass-Boston in the championship game on Saturday (3 p.m.). The Beacons defeated third seed Rhode Island College 76-70 in the first semifinal game. The Owls advance to the LEC finals for the second time in three years. The Owls captured the 2004 title with a victory over Plymouth State. It was KSC’s first tournament win over the Corsairs. UMD defeated the Owls in the 1998 and 2001 finals, and eliminated KSC in last year’s quarterfinals.
Keene State went on 13-2 late in the first half to pull away from the Corsairs. A three-pointer by Tyler Kathan (Ludlow, Vt.) gave the Owls’ their biggest lead 46-29 at the 3:38 mark. UMD came back to cut the lead to nine (50-41) at halftime. Sean Sullivan (Athol, Mass.) had 14 points and Kathan added 11 first half points for KSC. Reece Freeman (Cambridge, Mass.) topped UMD with 12 first half points.
The Owls increased their lead in the second half. A three-pointer from the left corner by Matt Hickey (Mahopac, N.Y.) gave KSC a 19 point lead (68-49) at the 8:49 mark. The Corsairs came storming back cutting the Owls’ lead to four on three occasions, the latest on a lay-up by Stephane Aberlard (Brockton, Mass.) with 2:06 to play. Sullivan answered with several key baskets.
“They’re a tough team,” said Sullivan. “We just tried to pound the ball down low, we had a little mismatch down low and we were able to hang on for the win.” We have trouble matching up with UMass-Boston, so we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”
Kevin Ritter (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) hit a pair of key three throws to give KSC a 77-71 lead with 1:36 to go and the Owls hit eight -of 12 free throws in the closing minute on the way to holding off the Corsairs.
Hickey scored 16 points and Kathan and Ritter both finished with 11 points each for KSC.
UMD had five players in double figures; Freeman led the way with 15, Dan Holbrook (Lexington, Mass.) had 13 points, A.J. Taveres (New Bedford, Mass.) added 12 points, Aberlard finished with 11 points, and Paul Pawlowski had 10 points.