Jan. 15, 2008
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA, PA- Looking for their first victory in eight years against the University of Pennsylvania Quakers (5-10, 0-0 Ivy)- the La Salle Explorers (6-9, 1-1 A-10) got their first Big Five win of the year 62-58 at The Palestra on Tuesday night. Sophomore Rodney Green (Philadelphia, PA) led the Explorers with 17 points and three rebounds.
The Explorers took the lead and did not relinquish it for nearly the first seven minutes until Penn tied it up at 6-6. Penn took their first lead of the game at the 11-minute mark to go up 8-6 and would hold the lead for the rest of the first stanza. The Quakers went on a 7-0 run to pull ahead 17-10 with under eight minutes remaining.
With under five minutes left in the first half the Explorers strung together a run of their own as freshman Jerrell Williams (Paterson, NJ) nailed a three and then senior Darnell Harris (Baltimore, MD) nailed another triple to get his team within one at 23-22. Williams finished the night with 10 points and five rebounds.
The Explorers shot a perfect 8-8 from the free-throw line in the first half and finished at 25-30 on the game but trailed 29-24 at the half.
Sophomore Kimmani Barrett (Paterson, NJ) powered an offensive rebound for a put-back score to get the Explorers within one point at 35-34 with 15:33 remaining. Junior Paul Johnson (Washington, D.C.) gave the Explorers their first lead since the score was 6-4 early in the first half lead at 36-35 with two free-throws on the next La Salle possession.
Freshman Darryl Partin (Seattle, WA) drained a triple to extend the La Salle lead to 44-38 with 12 minutes left to play. Partin had scored just six points in his collegiate career before posting five in the game.
Penn's freshman Tyler Bernardini (Carlsbad, CA) hit a three to keep the Quakers within four- at 53-49, under the five-minute mark.
Harris ripped down a rebound at 1:35 and was fouled in the process, sinking one of two shots for the Explorers to push their lead to 59-54. Barrett went 3-4 from the free-throw line to keep his Explorers on top 61-58 in the final seconds, and finished with 15 points and nine rebounds.
The Explorers will hit the road next as they travel to Richmond to take on the Spiders on Saturday, January 19th at 4:00 PM in A-10 action.
