Keene, N.H. – Castleton gave up a season-high 56 first-half points and was unable to make up the deficit in the final 20 minutes as the team fell 104-84 to Keene St. in Spaulding Gym on Sunday afternoon. 

The Spartans allowed the Owls to shoot 53.8 percent from the floor while making 44.9 percent of their field goal attempts as they dropped to 4-5 on the year. Keene St. outrebounded Castleton 48-33 and forced 26 turnovers as home team improved to 3-6 on the year. 

Chad Copeland led three players in double figures for the Spartans with 20 points on 8-for-14 shooting, along with four rebounds. Chad Pulver and Tyler Ackley were also in double figures with 11 points apiece. Rob Coloutti added seven points and five rebounds in 15 minutes off the bench. 

Tom Doyle paced the Owl offense with a game-high 25 points, including 6-for-8 shooting from beyond the arc. Lucas Hammel dished off 13 assists and added 12 points while Jaquel Edwards finished with a double-double of 14 points and nine rebounds. Nate Howard was also in double figures with 13 points. 

The teams traded baskets over the opening three minutes, before Doyle scored eight straight points to put the Owls in front 14-6. A Logan White three narrowed the lead to five, though Hammel extended the Keene St. lead to 22-11 with 13:19 left in the first.

A 10-5 run over the next four minutes pushed the Owls in front 32-16, though a 6-2 spurt by Brandon Bergeron and Troy Davine closed the gap to 34-22 with 8:36 left. Three minutes later a 7-0 run by the Spartans cut the deficit to eight, 40-32. Keene St. extended it back to double digits before a three-point by play Copeland made it 51-42 with 59 seconds left. However, the Owls scored five consecutive points in the last minute to go into the break up 56-42. 

Keene St. kept up the momentum in the second half, pushing its lead to 20 in the first five minutes. The Spartans countered with a 16-3 run to pull within 11, 70-59, at 10:30 but couldn't get cut the lead to single digits over the final ten minutes. 

Carnelius Green grabbed a team-high six rebounds in just 15 minutes of action while Davine has six points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals. 

The Spartans return to action on Tuesday when they travel to face Colby-Sawyer at 5:30 pm