HARTFORD, Conn. – The Clark University men's basketball team (18-10) battled for 40 minutes against Keene State (23-5) in their 17th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and saw 10 lead changes throughout the game, but ultimately fell 77-68 to the Owls on Friday night from the Ray Oosting Gymnasium.

Press Conference  | Head Coach Tyler Simms, Senior Isaiah Taylor, Senior Bruce Saintilus

Senior Kekoa McArdle became the 32nd player in program history to join the 1,000-point club. This senior class ends their career with four NEWMAC Tournament appearances, two NEWMAC Championship appearances, a NEWMAC Championship, and an NCAA Tournament appearance.

How it Happened

• Keene State jumped out to an early 9-6 lead sparked by five points from Wesley Odiase and sophomore Quentin Pridgen paced Clark with a made three-pointer while Taylor made a layup and fellow senior Bruce Saintilus made a free throw before the first media timeout.
• McArdle gave the Cougars their first lead of the game with four unanswered points and Clark held Keene State scoreless for over three minutes before Mitch Shettles connected on a triple to put the Owls in front 12-10.
• Pridgen buried his second three-pointer of the contest and converted the four-point play with a made free throw after being fouled on the landing to give the scarlet and white a 14-12 edge with 12:17 to go in the first.
• Clark's defense continued to disrupt the Owl offense as they forced a pair of turnovers and junior Reid Neumann buried a triple off a feed from Taylor to push the lead to five just over midway through the first half.
• McArdle netted his 1,000th career point with 8:29 remaining in the first with a right-handed hook shot before Octavio Brito connected on a triple to give the Owls a 20-19 lead.
• McArdle continued to dominate inside with his fourth field goal of the half as the teams continued to trade buckets and a pair of free throws from McArdle kept the deficit at one-point in a 24-23 contest.
• Clark then scored the next five points with a made layup from first-year Boluwasefe John and a pull-up three from Taylor as the Cougars entered the final media timeout of the half up 28-24.
• Brito and Mason Jean Baptiste combined for nine of the contests next 10 points as John buried a free throw for Clark and Shettles scored the final points of the half as Clark trailed 35-29 entering the locker room.
• Saintilus scored the first bucket of the second half to bring the Cougars back within four and a made layup from John off a feed from Saintilus and a contested Taylor layup tied the game at 36-36 with 15:47 to play.
• Spencer Aronson hit a triple before the first media timeout of the second half before John buried a pair of free throws and another contested Taylor layup kept it a one-point game as both teams continued to trade buckets.
• Pridgen gave Clark a 42-41 lead with a layup off a spin before the Owls scored six unanswered points and a layup from John off a pass from senior Ian Calabrese made it a one possession game at 47-44 with 10:50 remaining.
• Taylor made a driving layup to bring the scarlet and white to bring Clark within one and after five unanswered from the Owls, Pridgen buried a triple off a Saintilus feed as the Cougars trailed 52-49 with 8:44 to play.
• Jean Baptiste, Nate Siow, and Brito combined for six of the next eight points of the contest as McArdle made a pair of free throws for Clark before a made free throw from Taylor made it a 58-52 game.
• After a triple from Brito, Pridgen hit a step back jumper and a put back layup from John kept it a seven-point contest at 63-56 with 5:21 remaining.
• Taylor broke the Owl press and made a layup to bring the scarlet and white back within five and after a made dunk from Odiase, Pridgen drove to the hoop and finished through contact to make it a 65-60 game with 3:29 to play.
• Liam Johnston hit a triple with 2:22 to go to push the Owl advantage to eight before Pridgen buried a pair of free throws to bring the deficit back down to six.
• After two made free throws from Siow, John threw down a slam off a feed from Saintilus before Johnston connected on a driving layup to extend the lead back to eight at 72-64 with 0:51 remaining.
• Taylor drew a foul with 0:38 to play and hit a pair of free throws to bring Clark within six and after two free throws from Siow, Taylor drove to the hoop to make it a 74-68 contest with 0:17 to go.
• Aronson sealed the game with two free throws as the Owls took a three possession lead and Brito hit a free throw as Keene State came away with a 77-68 victory.

Inside the Box Score

• Clark made 24 shots, grabbed 48 rebounds, dished out 13 assists, and forced 13 turnovers.
• Pridgen recorded a double-double and tied for the team lead in both points with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
• Taylor added 18 points, made seven shots, and dished out four assists. He ends his career with 1,452 points, which ranks 13th all-time.
• McArdle tallied his 12th double-double of the year with 13 points and 11 rebounds. He ends his career with 1,008 points.
• John registered 13 points and pulled down six rebounds.
• Saintilus tied for the team-lead with four assists and grabbed five rebounds. He ends his career with 1,560 points, which ranks ninth in program history.