Dec. 22, 2007
Box Score
Guaynabo, PR - Although Christmas season is right around the corner, Saturday was Groundhog Day for the La Salle University Explorers (4-6) who, for the second straight day, erased a double-digit deficit to take a lead late in the second half but could not close out a victory in the 93-88 loss to DePaul (3-7) in their final game of the San Juan Shootout.
DePaul used 58% three-point shooting, capitalized on nine turnovers and converted 10 second-chance points in the first half to build the 35-19 lead with 8:07 left.
The Explorers would whittle that lead to five points and trail 50-45 at the break.
The teams would swap baskets to open the second half before the Blue Demons were able to rebuild an eight-point lead on a Draelon Burns lay-up with 16:30 to play in the game.
The Explorers responded by tying the game twice before Darnell Harris (Baltimore, MD/St. Frances) gave his team its first lead on his fifth and final three-pointer of the day with 9:10 remaining to make the score 70-68.
After a Wesley Green bucket tied the game at 70, freshman Jerrell Williams (Paterson, NJ/Northfield Mt. Hermon) gave the Explorers their final lead at the 8:32 mark to make the score 72-70.
The Blue Demons capitalized on a missed three-pointer off of a three-on-one break when Karron Clarke drilled a triple with 7:39 to play. They would not trail again although they did cut the lead to three-points before running out of time.
The Blue Demons did not commit their first team foul of the second half until only 1:22 remained and were able to grind out the clock by fouling the Explorers' offensive sets.
Harris led all Explorers with 21 points. Paul Johnson (Washington, DC/Gonzaga) had a career-high 13 rebounds in the game and finished the Shootout with 27 rebounds in three games.
The loss comes one day after the Explorers recovered from a 13-point deficit to lead Mississippi in the second half but dropped an 84-77 decision.
After a six-day break the Explorers return to action against Villanova on Saturday, December 29t with a 7:00 PM tip-off from The Pavilion.
