CASTLETON, Vt. – The Vermont State University Castleton men's basketball team gave nationally ranked No. 22 Keene State all it could handle Tuesday night before falling 92-75 at Glenbrook Gymnasium.

The Spartans came out strong, opening the game with a tip-in layup from Justin Schwarzbeck to take an early lead. Castleton controlled much of the first half, leading by as many as 10 points and taking a 44-39 advantage into halftime behind a scorching 7-of-16 performance from beyond the arc. Schwarzbeck and Ben Seiler led the offensive effort, each hitting a pair of threes in the opening period.

Momentum shifted in the second half as Keene State ramped up its defensive intensity and capitalized on Castleton's turnovers. The Owls took the lead at the 11:24 mark on a Ryan Blakey three-pointer, sparking a dominant 30-16 run that ultimately secured their victory. Keene State's defense forced 18 Castleton turnovers and converted them into 22 points.

Schwarzbeck paced the Spartans with 15 points, hitting three triples and grabbing six rebounds. Seiler added 12 points, while Crisrael Lithgow also finished with 12 points, knocking down three three-pointers of his own.

Castleton controlled the glass, outrebounding Keene State 40-37, but foul trouble and turnovers proved costly in the end.

The Spartans will look to bounce back as they host SUNY Cobleskill in a nonconference matchup Thursday at 7 p.m.