Philadelphia, PA-This was the ending the La Salle University men's basketball team had been looking for.  After a regular season fraught with close defeats and near-upsets, the Explorers delivered their most incredible performance of the year, beating UMass, 70-64, in overtime to advance to the quarter-finals of the Atlantic 10 Championships in Cincinnati.  

 

They did it despite the fact that their leader, Steven Smith, watched the final six minutes from the bench with his right eye swollen shut.  They did it despite the fact that they led for the first 39 minutes only to fall behind with :45 seconds left.  They did it despite the fact that UMass hadn't lost in overtime all season (5-0) and was threatening to break the NCAA record in that category.

 

Somehow, they did it. 

 

It was a hectic final two minutes, starting when Smith was sent to the floor with an elbow and staggered to the locker room covering his eye.  He returned quickly and made it all the way to the scorer's table before being restrained by head coach John Giannini.  He would not return.   

 

The Explorers (10-18) were up, 57-54, when he exited.  On the ensuing possession UMass dumped the ball into wrecking ball Rashaun Freeman, who converted a lay-up and was fouled to make it a one-point game.  Freeman missed the free throw. 

 

After a miss by Darnell Harris (Baltimore, MD/St. Francis), the Minutemen took their first lead of the game, 59-57, on a deep three from Art Bowers with :45 seconds to play.

 

Head Coach John Giannini then called a time-out, and whatever play he had scripted never occurred because Jermaine Thomas (Frederick, MD/Thomas Johnson) was fouled in the backcourt and sunk both free throws to knot the game at 59-59.

 

In overtime, the Explorers got five points from Thomas - all from the free throw line- and six points from Mike St. John (Northboro, MA/River School) to pull away for the 70-64 final.

 

Smith, the conference's Co-Player of the Year, led La Salle with 19 points and seven rebounds.  Thomas was next with 18 markers, including 8-10 from the line.  Harris had 15 points in 45 minutes of action. 

Rashaun Freeman led the Minutemen with 19 points.

 

This undermanned Explorers squad is now 4-1 in overtime contests, and has matched their season's win total from a year ago.  They will take on the #2 seeded Xavier Musketeers, whom they beat in overtime on Feb. 27 at Tom Gola Arena, in the quarter-finals tomorrow at 2:00 P.M..      

 

Steven Smith has been listed as probable for the game.