DANBURY, Conn. - The Western Connecticut State University Wolves lost for the first time in 39 days, 63-59, against the visiting Keene State College Owls in Little East Conference (LEC) men's basketball action this afternoon at Feldman Arena.  WestConn drops to 11-5 overall and 4-3 in the LEC, losing for the first time in nine games.  Keene State improves to 6-8 overall and 4-3 in the conference.  The Wolves will host league rival Castleton next on Saturday at 4 p.m.  Junior Elijah Jean-Guillaume (New Haven, Conn.) had a team-high 11 points for WestConn.

Jean-Guillaume and junior center Juan Morel () scored WestConn's first 10 points to help the home team to a 10-5 lead six minutes into the game.  Keene State went on a 7-0 run to take a 17-16 lead with 5:48 on the clock and scored 11 of the last 17 points of the first half to lead, 30-25, at the break.  The Owls led briefly by double digits early in the second stanza but the Wolves fought their way back and tied the score at 41-all thanks to two free throws by sophomore center Marcel Henry (Yonkers, N.Y.) at the 12-minute mark.  

WestConn senior guard Tayejon Lynch (Cambria Heights, N.Y.) made a three-pointer, classmate Nick Boyce (Jamaica, N.Y.) hit a jumper and Henry made another free throw to make the score, 47-43, with 9:15 remaining in the game.  Allyn Wright delivered a go-ahead trey for Keene State with 6:30 on the clock and neither team led by more than a point over the next six-plus minutes until Liam Johnston connected from long range to give the Owls a 60-57 lead with 2:35 left to play.  Senior guard Jahlyl Morgan (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) made a steal and fastbreak layup to make it a two-point game and Henry came up just short on a reverse layup with 22 seconds remaining. Ryan Blakey made a pair of free throws to put the game away for Keene State.

WestConn's defense made 20 steals and the Owls committed 31 turnovers but the Wolves were outrebounded, 48-30, shot 30 percent from the floor and missed 13 of 33 free throws.  Boyce joined Jean-Guillaume in double figures in scoring with 10 points, while Henry contributed nine points and three blocked shots.  Morgan made six steals and rookie Avery Taitt-Christina (Far Rockaway, N.Y.) added nine points and four steals.  Keene State's Jordan Cooper scored a game-high 20 points with eight rebounds but also nine turnovers.  Dennis Wainana had 10 boards and four blocked shots for the Owls.