SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - A career-best 26-point performance from Chris Keaton (Beverly, Mass.) led the Regis College Pride to a narrow 59-57 victory over Cazenovia in the consolation game of the Hampton Inn West Springfield/Naismith Classic on Saturday afternoon in Blake Arena.
Keaton converted on a program-record eight three-pointers throughout the contest, including six in the first half, setting a new tournament record for three-pointers made. The previous record was seven set by Todd Lehmann of Drexel University on January 3, 1988.
Cazenovia jumped out to an early 7-6 lead after a jumper from Nate Hudson at the 15:45 mark, but then a triple from Chris Keaton put Regis up a pair, until Garfield McKenzie evened the game at nine points apiece with a lay-up underneath the basket.
From there, Regis went on an 11-2 run over the next 4:37, including three-straight three-pointers from Keaton to give the Pride a 20-11 advantage midway through the opening half.
Once Brad LeFevre brought the Wildcats back to within seven with a lay-up in the paint, a three-pointer from Keaton followed by a lay-in by Jaiwon Martin (Coral Springs, Fla.) extended the Pride's lead to 12. Regis would retain its 12-point cushion for the remainder of the opening half, going into the break with a 32-20 lead.
The Wildcats caught fire in the opening minutes of the second half, scoring 13 unanswered points over a span of 2:58, capped off by a three-pointer from Keith Caiello off a nice feed from Ryan Galvin.
Holding a 46-45 lead with under eight minutes remaining, Caiello hit a three-pointer to give the Wildcats a four-point lead, but Ethan Peana (Staten Island, N.Y.) converted on a lay-up on the ensuing possession to keep the Pride within a pair.
After Jeff Tagger Jr. (Brockton, Mass.) evened the game at 51 when the junior stole the inbound pass and converted a lay-up, Chris Leak Jr. (New Haven, Conn.) completed a three-point play to give the Pride a three-point lead.
With 47 seconds remaining in the contest, LeFevre put the Wilcats back in the lead with a pair of free-throws to give Cazenovia a one-point lead, before Keaton hit his eighth three-pointer of the game to give the Pride a 59-57 lead.
Regis returns to action on Tuesday night when the Pride host Westfield State University at 6:00 p.m.
Release courtesy of Springfield College Sports Information