Posted: Nov 19, 2015
KEENE, N.H.--Dizel Wright tied his career high with 20 points, and made two key plays to give the Keene State College men's basketball team a nailbiting 93-91 win over Lasell College at Spaulding Gym on Thursday night.
The Owls improve to 3-0 while the Lasers fall by two points for the second game in a row and are 0-2.
STAT LEADERS FOR LASELL
All Laser starters reached double figures in scoring, highlighted by Armin Omanovic with 19 points, five assists and five rebounds, while Arsenault went 5-for-9 with all 15 points coming from long range. Richard O'Brien put up 17 points on 5-for-13 shooting from from the floor accompanied by Logan Liberty and Pat Marchand who capped the double-digit scoring with 14 and 12 points, respectively.
STAT LEADERS FOR KEENE STATE
Wright stuffed the stat sheet, adding 10 rebounds and three steals to his 20 points. Joining him in double figures were Hammel, who finished with 17, while Lunn came off the bench to to score 14. Matt Ozzella had 13 points and six assists, while Nate Stitchell had 11 points and six assists. Howard patrolled the middle to the tune of eight points, eight rebounds, and five blocked shots.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Keene State looked to have the game wrapped up when Matt Ozzella fed Wright for a layup and an 86-81 lead with 2:32 left, but the Lasers' Scott Arsenault knocked down a three on the next possession to cut the lead to two.
Jeff Lunn poked the ball away and tipped it to himself for another layup that made it 88-84, and after Omanovich and Lunn traded layups, Arsenault canned another three that cut the Owls' lead to 90-89 with 1:09 to play.
That's when Wright made the first of two critical plays, taking the ball off O'Brien and soaring away for a breakaway dunk with 32 seconds left, and after Omanovic made two free throws, Lasell fouled Wright and he made 1-of-2 from the free throw line.
Lasell had the ball on the final possession with a chance to force overtime, only to see Wright force a turnover from O'Brien as time expired.
WHAT'S NEXT
Both teams return to the court on Saturday, November 21 at 3:00 p.m. The Lasers will host Nichols College while The Owls travel to the University of New England.