RICHMOND, VA - Once again led by a balanced scoring attack, the La Salle Explorers (10-2, 2-0 Atlantic 10) held off a tough Richmond team (7-7, 0-1) to earn a 67-56 win at the Robins Center. For the sixth time this season, four Explorers scored in double figures. The victory gives La Salle 10 wins, equalling its win total from last season.

The Explorers survived a second-half Spider charge to win a streaky game that was filled with one scoring run after another. After Richmond started off the game with a 7-4 advantage, La Salle unfurled a 21-6 run to take control. Just as the Explorers stretched their lead to a game-high 13 points, Richmond responded with an 18-6 run that made it a one-point game with 12 minutes left in the game. That would be as close at the Spiders would get, as La Salle would score 17 of the next 23 points to take a 60-48 lead.

Sophomore Darnell Harris (Baltimore, MD/St. Francis) had a hot hand from three-point land, connecting on four treys. Harris scored a game-high 15 points, and his trifecta with 4 minutes, 54 seconds to go proved to be the final nail in the Richmond coffin.

Senior Steven Smith (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast) scored 14 points, and junior Mike St. John (Northboro, MA/River School) and freshman Marshall Taylor (Philadelphia, PA/West Catholic) contributed 11 points each, as the Explorers hung 67 points on a Richmond squad that entered the game ranked second in the nation in points allowed. The most points the Spiders had previously allowed this season came from Tulane, who scored 64 points on Dec. 27.

Senior Lewis Fadipe (Lagos, Nigeria/Forest Hill School) was a force on the glass in the first half for the Explorers, grabbing all eight of his rebounds in the opening frame. Smith finished with seven boards.

Gaston Moliva led Richmond with 14 points and eight rebounds and Peter Thomas chipped in 13 points. The Spiders held the edge in rebounding by a 36-31 margin.

The Explorers return to action on Wednesday, Jan. 11 when they host Charlotte at 7:05 p.m.