Box Score KEENE, N.H.--Sophomore transfer Mike Gelineau pumped in a career-high 29 points but it wasn't enough as the Western New England University men's basketball team's comeback attempt fell short at Keene State College in an 80-69 loss to the host Owls in the championship game of the KSC Tip-Off Tournament at Spaulding Gym on Sunday. The Owls improve to 2-0 while the Golden Bears fall to 1-1.

Senior Musa Elsir was the only other Golden Bear in double figures with 12 points and he grabbed eight rebounds along with graduate student Nick DeFeo (8 points). Gelineau represented WNE on the all-tournament team.

Tournament MVP Nate Howard scored a career high 31 points to pace the Owls. Howard finished with a double-double, adding 17 rebounds and five blocked shots to his point total. The junior was one of four Owls in double-figures as Jeff Lunn added 11 off the bench, while Tom Doyle and Jaquel Edwards each chipped in 10.

Howard connected on his first shot attempt for an early 2-0 lead, but the Golden Bears responded with five quick points on a layup by junior Zack Askew (8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocked shots) and a trey from DeFeo. KSC reeled off the next six points as Howard sandwiched a conventional three-point play and a pair of free throws around a jumper from Doyle for an 11-5 advantage with 16:01 on the first-half clock.

Consecutive three-pointers from Gelineau sparked a 12-4 run over the next five minutes that gave WNE a 17-15 lead, but KSC responded with a 9-2 run of its own that was capped by a pair of free throws from Paul Emdin.

Emdin connected on a long two from the left side for a 26-23 lead, but the Golden Bears kept pace by taking a 32-30 lead on two Gelineau foul shots.

Howard's dunk in traffic with 40 seconds left in the half gave the Owls a 41-36 lead at the break.

The Owls opened the second half by scoring eight straight points, six of which were scored by Howard to open up a 49-36 lead. KSC never looked back, going up 55-39 on Matt Ozzella's layup with 14:22 to play. The Golden Bears drew within five on Gelineau's 10 points and two free throws by Elsir with two minutes left, but Howard's jumper from the top of the key put the lead back at seven, and the Owls made four of six free throws in the final 48 seconds to seal the win.

The Owls won the battle of the boards 50-41, and limited WNE 27 percent shooting (9-33) in the second half.

In the third-place game, Wheaton-Mass. defeated Johnson State College 73-50, behind 34 points from Billy Battaglia.

Western New England will have its home opener on Tuesday against crosstown rival Springfield College in a #Play4Jody non-conference game, tipping off at 7:30 p.m. at the Alumni Healthful Living Center field house.

All-Tip Off Tournament Team: Nate Howard, Keene State (MVP); Jeff Lunn, Keene State; Mike Gelineau, Western New England; Billy Battaglia, Wheaton (Mass.); Rob Hazard, Johnson State.

(Editor's note: Keene State Athletics contributed to this game recap.)