BRONX. NY - Despite fighting back from an 11-point halftime deficit, the La Salle men's basketball team (17-9, 9-8 Atlantic 10) suffered an 83-74 loss to Fordham (13-15, 8-7) at Rose Hill Gym. Senior Steven Smith (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast) scored a game-high 33 points, 21 coming in the first half.

 

The Rams shot the lights out in the first 20 minutes, converting 9-of-13 three-point attempts on their way to building a 16-point lead. La Salle was hot from three-point land as well, shooting 5-for-7, but headed to the locker room down 47-36.

 

The Explorers fought back early in the second stanza, led by the play of Tabby Cunningham (Philadelphia, PA/St. John Neumann), who was listed as questionable for the game after suffering a knee injury in practice. The sophomore came up with two quick steals to spark a 13-3 run to cut Fordham's lead to one point. The first pick resulted in a layup for the 5-foot-8 guard, who found an open Jermaine Thomas (Frederick, MD/Thomas Johnson) for a three-pointer after his second swipe of the half.

 

Later, Thomas hit another three on a two-on-one break with Smith, and then drilled another trey to cut the Rams lead to one. That would be as close as the Explorers would get. Fordham rattled off a 17-5 run to take another double-digit lead. La Salle fought back several times, eventually shaving the Rams' lead to five points with under a minute to play, but with the Explorers forced to foul, Fordham held on for the win.

 

Thomas drained a season-high five three-pointers on his way to 17 points; Cunningham netted seven points. Junior Mike St. John (Northboro, MA/River School) pulled down 11 rebounds, adding seven points. The Explorers shot 49 percent from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc.

 

The Rams, who shot 54 percent from the floor and 59 percent from three-point land, were led by Corey McCrae's career-high 25 points. The senior shot a perfect 6-for-6 on the night, all coming from three-point range. Bryant Dunston registered 20 points and eight rebounds, while Jermaine Anderson added 14 points.

 

The Explorers return home for their final game of the regular season with a bye in the A-10 tournament on the line, when they host Saint Louis on Saturday, March 4 on Senior Day. Tip-off is slated for 2:05 p.m.