LaSalle Survives at URI, Keeps At-Large Hopes Alive With Win

Following a loss earlier in the week on the road at Temple, the LaSalle Explorers could not afford another slip-up on Sunday afternoon.

Well, the Explorers avoided a devastating loss and escaped URI with a victory thanks to a nice second half output. Trailing by three at the halftime intermission, LaSalle used a ten point second half advantage and 45 points after the break to escape with a more than necessary win.

Tyreek Duren led the way with 21 points while the team’s leading scorer Ramon Galloway added 13.

The Explorers remain in pursuit of an at-large berth within the NCAA Tournament with the victory on Sunday, moving to 19-7 overall and 9-4 within the Atlantic 10 Conference. We all know that the A-10 will be a multi-bid league once Selection Sunday arrives and at this point its only a matter of how many teams will actually dance.

LaSalle find themselves right on the bubble as the month of February comes to a close as the speculation at this point in the season is in favor of the Explorers. LaSalle now returns home for a pair of winnable games this week, with the opportunity to potentially secure their 20th and 21st victories of the season.

With three games remaining on their regular season schedule, the Explorers find themselves tied for third place at the moment. However, LaSalle is only a game and a half behind conference leader Saint Louis and a date with the Billikens is scheduled for Mar. 9. The Explorers have the ability down the stretch here to make a stab at the regular season title, but either way their focus should simply be on bettering their seed and keeping alive their hopes of an at-large bid to the Big Dance.

LaSalle will play host to Duquesne next Saturday.

 

Follow Paul Seaver on Twitter: @PaulSeaverRS