KEENE, N.H. - UMass Boston Men's Basketball faced a tough opponent in nationally-ranked Keene State College on Saturday afternoon. The Beacons battled in the road environment before eventually falling 117-69.

THE BASICS
UMass Boston 69, Keene State College 117

UMass Boston (2-12, 1-4 LEC)
Keene State College (10-2, 4-0 LEC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Keene State's leading scorer Jeff Hunter put on a clinic in the first half, but the Beacons' own top scorer kept them competitive early. Emmanuel Zayas scored from all three levels in the first five minutes to keep the Owls lead at 19-15. A defensive rebound and transition three cut the UMass Boston deficit down to one point.

A Connor Walden three-pointer with just over eight and a half minutes left in the half cut the score to 34-27 in favor of the Owls. Keene State, however, exploded for multiple sustained runs to finish out the half with a 62-40 lead.

As a part of a balanced offensive attack, newcomer Anthony Gauthier came alive for the first six points of his NCAA career in the second half. The Beacons' best offensive efforts were not enough, however, as the Owls dominated on both ends to secure a 117-69 victory.

BY THE NUMBERS

• 12 different players scored for the Beacons on Saturday
• Zayas is averaging 19.6 points per game on the season
• Walden has scored 29 points in two games this season
• Keene State has won the last five matchups between the two teams

WHO'S NEXT
The Beacons will travel to North Dartmouth on Tuesday, January 9 for an LEC showdown with in-state rivals UMass Dartmouth at 7 PM.