PHILADELPHIA, PA - All five starters scored in double digits as the La Salle University women's basketball defeated the Binghamton Bearcats 76-73. The Explorers improve to 4-3 on the season and are now 3-0 when they play on their home court at Tom Gola Arena.

 

In one of the closest games that La Salle has played all year, head coach Tom Lochner's seniors stepped up play and produced the kind of game that he needs from them every time out there in order to generate victories.

 

The Explorers shot an impressive 52% from the field in a game that saw 14 lead changes and that was tied 13 times. La Salle was 92.9% from the charity stripe missing just one free throw in 40 minutes of action. Binghamton stepped to the foul line just four times and made three of those attempts, for the game the Bearcats were 48.5% from the field and out-rebounded La Salle 34-27.

 

The biggest lead of the game was at the 8:27 mark in the first period when the Bearcats went up 27-20, but La Salle stuck around and the two teams entered the locker room tied at 37 at the half.  The two teams stayed within two points of one another for the majority of the second half, both taking no more than a four point lead in the second period.

 

With 3:13 left in the game the score was tied at 70 and remained there until Binghamton's Laura Sario nailed a three pointer to go up 73-70 with 1:11 remaining. The Explorers went on to score the final six points of the game. Senior Monica Garrido-Sanz (Majadahonda, Spain/C.B. Majadahonda) brought La Salle to within one point when she scored a lay-up with 52 seconds left on the clock. Fellow senior Meghan Wilkinson (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown) pulled down a huge offensive rebound and was fouled with 26 second left, she made both ends of the one and one to put her team up one.  

 

Sophomore Crista Ricketts (Douglasville, PA/Daniel Boone) was fouled off a Binghamton turnover and made both free throws to put La Salle up by three with 11 seconds left. The Bearcats had one final shot at tying the game, but missed and La Salle walked away with its third victory at Tom Gola Arena and fourth victory on the season. La Salle is undefeated when playing at home.

 

Ricketts led the Explorers with 22 points and six rebounds. Wilkinson also pulled down six rebounds, all of which were defensive. She added 14 points, 12 of which came in the second half, and dished out a team high seven assists. Fellow senior Jill Marano (Crofton, MD/Arundel) tallied 14 points as well.

 

Garrido-Sanz recorded a season high 11 points. She also pulled down four rebounds and had four assists. The fifth player to score in double figures was junior Davineia Payne (Bear, DE/Caravel Academy). Payne finished the game with 10 points and four rebounds.

 

The Bearcats were led by Rachel Laws, a Chletenham product, she finished the game with a career high 29 points and earned a double double pulling down a team high 11 rebounds.