Keene State cruises past Connecticut College men

Eagle Times Staff
KEENE, NH — Senior forward Jeff Hunter set a new career-high with 32 points while making an eye-popping 15 of 16 shots and sophomore guard Mike Carothers had 12 assists without a turnover as the nationally No. 4 ranked Keene State College men’s basketball team drilled Connecticut College 80-64 in non-conference action at Luce Field House Tuesday night, Nov. 21.

It was a dominant victory for KSC as they headed into the brief Thanksgiving break with wins in three of their first four games of the season, all by at least 16 points while scoring at least 80 points in each. For Hunter, one of the most accomplished players in program history, it likely gets harder and harder to set career highs. However, he did just that on this night, scoring his 32 points on 94 percent shooting while also grabbing 11 boards—his fourth double-double in as many games after leading Division III in that category last year. Hunter also had 2 assists and 3 blocks and posted this stat line just two games after a 20-point, 20-rebound double-double. He was not alone in the production, as Carothers, making his first start of the season, picked apart the Camels’ zone defense to the tune of 12 assists without a turnover, helping the Owls shoot a sizzling 59 percent (season-high) as a team in the game.

If that weren’t enough, Spencer Aronson built upon his game against the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in South Dakota, draining 5 of his 9 three-point attempts to score 17 points off the bench. He is now 9-for-16 from deep in the last two games, and the Owls are now 12-0 in the last two seasons when he scores double-figure points, winning 11 times by at least 10 points.

In the first meeting between the two programs since 2010 and just the second overall, the Camels led twice by two points in the early going, but neither lead lasted more than 30 seconds. The Owls ran off a 9-0 run in 1:54 to quickly take an 11-4 lead, with the surge being highlighted by a dunk from Hunter and three from Mason Jean Baptiste. Tahmeen Dupree made it 14-6 at the 14:18 mark, and another flush by Hunter 3 minutes later made it 16-8. Connecticut College answered with a 9-1 burst to tie the game, but just as fast KSC posted 10 straight to go up 29-19, an uprising that included a dunk from Brito with 5:09 to go in the half. A putback tip-in by Hunter and jumper from Brito on consecutive trips pushed the lead to 33-21 a short time later, and a trey from Alonzo Linton made it a 15-point Owl lead with 3:15 to go in the half.

Elias Espinosa made a jumper in the final minute to bring the Camels within 9, but Brito hit back with a three before KSC carried a 39-29 edge into the locker room, shooting 60 percent (17-for-28) in the process while limiting the home team to only 34 percent (12-for-35). Both teams had only 4 turnovers. Conn stayed within striking range thanks to 8 offensive rebounds, 5 from David Murray who also had 6 points.

Hunter started the second half right where he left off, dunking home a feed from Carothers to make it 41-29, but Murray’s layup a minute later was the start of another Camel run (this one 14-6) to get within 4 again with 15:35 to go. RJ Casey and Espinosa each hit triples in that span, and Cam Schainfield canned 2 from the line.

However, a layup from Hunter and steal and Bucket from Dupree within 16 seconds of each other on KSC’s next two possessions pushed the lead back to 51-43. Despite the Owls’ torrid shooting, Connecticut College would not go away, again getting within four (56-52) on a triple from Billy Whelan more than halfway through the second half.

Aronson had the response this time, burying consecutive treys in half a minute to quickly push the advantage back to 10. He made another with 6:18 left following a Hunter layup for a 67-52 lead, and KSC broke the game open with what wound up being an 11-0 burst. Connecticut College was never within single digits again as Hunter powered home another slam with 4:16 remaining to make it 71-57, and Aronson continued to torch the Camels, connecting from distance again 27 seconds later. Dylan Watson chipped the deficit to 10 with a layup at the 2:48 mark, but Hunter’s three-point play on the ensuing possession off Brito’s feed was a fitting exclamation point for the night—and Aronson’s triple with 1:15 to go added another.

“It was a complete team effort tonight, firing on all cylinders,” said Keene State Acting Head Coach David Hastings. “Everyone played together, making the extra pass for a great shot.”

Keene State has 76 assists against 48 turnovers over the season’s opening two weeks, twice recording 25 with 11 turnovers or fewer.

Keene State breaks for Thanksgiving but is right back at it after the holiday on Saturday, Nov. 25, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1-4) for a 1 p.m. tip-off.