PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Top-seeded Keene State College and second-seeded Western Connecticut State University will play for the 2025 Little East Conference (LEC) Men’s Basketball Tournament Championship after winning their respective semifinal matchups Thursday. The opening tip will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Keene State’s Spaulding Gymnasium.
 
The Owls will defend their LEC crown after defeating fourth-seeded University of Massachusetts Boston, while the Wolves came from behind in the second half on their way to an overtime triumph over third-seeded Rhode Island College. Keene State and WestConn will be meeting in the LEC tournament final for the third consecutive season.
 
No. 1 Keene State 95, No. 4 UMass Boston 75
 
The Owls (21-5) used a balanced scoring effort to defeat the visiting Beacons, with seven players netting at least nine points. Mitch Shettles led all Keene State players with 15 points o 6-of-7 shooting from the floor with a pair of threes, while Leo Chaikin and Mason Jean-Baptiste contributed 14 points each. Octavio Brito added 13 points while pulling down a game-high 15 boards.
 
The Owls scoring was also efficient in the game, as they shot 49 percent (33-of-67) from the floor and 50 percent (14-of-28) from downtown. Keene State also performed well at the line, going 15-for-20 (75 percent).
 
The hosts never trailed in the game, and after trading baskets with the visiting Beacons early went off for a 26-5 run that opened a 22-point lead of 34-12 with 7:49 left in the first half. KSC led 54-32 at the break and would lead by double-digits throughout the second half.
 
UMass Boston (14-12) was led by Raphel Laurent’s game-high 23 points, while Xavier McKenzie added 18 points. Mark Barrett netted 12 points, while Davon Sanders chipped in with 10 points off the bench.
 
The Beacons shot just 39 percent (29-of-75) from the floor and 23 percent (4-for-17) from three, while going 13-of-22 (59 percent) at the charity stripe.

Western Connecticut 81, Rhode Island College 68 (OT)
 
This game was a tale of two halves, as WestConn (18-8) struggled to find its scoring rhythm in first 20 minutes, trailing 36-26 after shooting just 24 percent (8-of-34) from the field and 11 percent (1-of-9) from three-points range. The Wolves’ 9-for-12 shooting at the line helped keep them within striking distance at the break.
 
WestConn’s overall shooting (11-of 31 / 35 percent) improved just enough in the second half, combined with a 14-for-20 performance at the line to tie the score at 63-all through the end of regulation. The Wolves closed out the second half with an 8-1 run over the final 1:39 to draw even. Cameron Gallon knotted the score by draining two free throws with 21 seconds left, and WestConn’s pressure defense limited RIC to an off-balance three that was well off the mark as time expired.
 
The Wolves lived at the free throw line in the extra frame, singing 13-of-16 attempts to put away the come-from-behind win, as both teams score just two field goals in overtime. WestConn finished the game 36-of-48 at the stripe, while RIC was just 11-of-23 at the line in the contest.  
 
Gallon led the Wolves with 16 points, nine rebounds and eight steals, while Jahlyl Morgan scored 15 points and C.J. Riley chipped in with 11 points. Jeremiah Williams finished with 10 points and seven boards.
 
Dwayne Robinson-O'Hagan scored a game-high 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor and a 7-for-10 showing the line to lead the Anchormen (16-11). Ousmane Kourouma totaled 12 points and a game-high 15 rebounds, while Cam Wilson added 12 points with seven boards.

LEC Tournament Notes

• Keene State will appear in the conference final for a LEC-record 17 time in program history, and for the 11th time in 13 seasons.
• WestConn head the LEC tournament final for the 11th time in program history.
• The Owls enter the LEC final with a league-record seven tournament championships on their resume, having won five of the last 10.
• The Wolves have six LEC tournament titles to their credit, the last coming in 2020 when they defeated UMass Dartmouth, 88-75
• WestConn won the highest scoring LEC final ever, a 135-130 double-overtime decision over Plymouth State in 2005.
• Keene State is 2-1 against WestConn in the LEC final, defeating the Wolves each of the last two years by scores of 83-79 and 84-68. WestConn upset Keene State in the 2002 title game, 86-83.