Nov. 15, 2008
PHILADELPHIA, PA - The La Salle University Explorers held on for a 64-61 victory over Morgan State on Saturday afternoon at Tom Gola Arena.
Rodney Green (Philadelphia, Pa/Prep Charter) and Kimmani Barrett (Paterson, NJ/Paterson Catholic) each scored 15 points to lead all scorers but it was sophomore Jerrell Williams (Paterson, NJ/Northfield Mount Hermon) who came up with a pair of offensive rebounds and follow-up buckets to help secure the win.
Williams was the third Explorer to score over ten points with 12 points and 11 boards for his ninth career double-double.
La Salle led by as many as six points in the first half but when Green and junior transfer Vernon Goodridge (Brooklyn, NY/Mississippi State) found themselves on the bench with two fouls - Morgan State took control of the boards and chipped the lead down to 25-24 at the half.
Goodridge ended his Explorer debut with six points, four rebounds and three blocked shots but never returned to the game after committing his fourth personal foul with four minutes and 23 seconds to play at which point the score was tied 56-56.
Two Williams' free throws on the following possession gave his team a 58-56 lead. Williams would then crash the boards for an offensive rebound and put-back off a missed three-pointer and follow a miss by Green at the 2:34 mark to build a 62-58 lead. He would then hit one of two free throws with 16 seconds to play to build a 63-58 advantage. He finished five for seven from the line.
The Explorers went just one for four from the line in the final ten seconds to allow the Bears to remain in the game but Paul Johnson (Washington, DC/Gonzaga) came up with a critical steal on the inbounds with 2.7 seconds left and a 63-61 lead.
Barrett made one of two free throws to make the score 64-61 and Jermaine Bolden's last-second three point missed at the buzzer.
The Explorers, who will next host Florida State on Tuesday night at 7:00 PM, are now 3-2 in openers under fifth-year coach Dr. John Giannini.
