Boxscore

Galloway, NJ – Stockton University (21-7) saw their 2015-16 season come to an end as the Ospreys were edged 72-71 by Keene State (19-10) in an NCAA Tournament first round game. Matt Ozzella sank a free throw with three seconds left in OT that snapped a 71-71 tie with the winning point. Jaymere Hadden (Millville/Millville) led all players with a game-high 22 points and pulled down nine rebounds for Stockton.
 
Stockton had a 61-57 lead on a Tom Catanoso (Cape May CH/Middle Twp.) free throw with 1:18 left in regulation. Six straight points by the Owls gave them a 63-61 lead before Hadden scored on a layup to tie it at 63-63 with 11 seconds left. Keene State had one last shot in regulation but Nate Stitchell's layup fell off the rim. The Owls went without a field goal for almost 13 minutes until the 54-second mark of the second half.
 
Keene State scored the first four points of the overtime for a 69-65 advantage before a three-pointer by Hadden made it 69-68 with 1:41 remaining. A Marcus Harmon (Whitesboro/Middle Twp.) foul shot and jumper by Maurice Hart (Asbury Park/Asbury Park) put Stockton up 71-69 but the Ospreys did not score again. Two foul shots by Ty Nichols with 17 seconds left knotted the game for the 10th and last time at 71-71.
 
A Harmon jumper with five ticks remaining was blocked and Ozzella was fouled after grabbing the rebound. Ozzella made one of two free throws with three seconds left for the 72-71 lead. A desperation three-pointer by Catanoso also was blocked and Stockton's season came to an end with the 72-71 defeat.
 
The visiting Owls held the lead through most of the first half but Stockton was able to stay close. Keene State led by five points on three separate occasions before the Ospreys were able to grab a slim 28-27 lead with 2:28 left in the first half.
 
The Owls then finished the period on a 10-1 spurt, capped by a three-pointer at the buzzer by Tre Tipton that put the Ospreys down 37-29 at the break. Hart helped Stockton stay within striking distance with eight markers in the first half.
 
Stockton began a comeback early in the second period with a 10-2 spurt in a 3:44 span to tie the game at 39. Four points by Catanoso sparked the run. Keene State sprinted out on a 14-5 run to take a 10-point margin at 54-44 at the 9:38 mark.
 
Stockton answered with a 10-0 sprint of their own to knot the game at 54 on an emphatic putback dunk by Hadden at the five-minute mark. Hart later scored four straight point to give the Ospreys a 60-56 edge with 2:45 to go but they could not close the game out.
 
Hart chipped in with 18 points and four steals while Harmon added 13 points and eight rebounds. Blake Rossell (Margate/St. Augustine) gave the Ospreys a lift with seven points and four rebounds off the bench.
 
Ozzella led the Owls with 18 points while Stitchell and Nichols added 15 and 13 points respectively. Nate Howard led all players with 14 rebounds and six blocks to go with nine points.
 
Keene State will take on Middlebury, a 75-73 winner over Salisbury, in an NCAA Tournament second-round game at Stockton tomorrow at 7 p.m. The Ospreys finished the year with a 21-7 record for their fifth consecutive 20-win season.