Jan. 21, 2009

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-from AP reports and La Salle Athletic Communications

PHILADELPHIA - Rodney Green (Philadelphia, PA/Prep Charter) set a new career scoring mark with 26 points to help La Salle top the University of Pennsylvania 79-70 in Big Five action on Wednesday at Tom Gola Arena.

The Explorers (10-7, 1-2 A-10) wrapped up the non-conference portion of the schedule. The 9-5 non-conference record marks the second best winning percentage since the 1989-90 Explorers went 11-1.

Green led all scorers with his 26 points. Thirteen of Green's points came from the charity stripe as he went 13-for-14 from the line.

Four other Explorers also turned in double figures. Paul Johnson (Washington, DC/Gonzaga) scored a season-high 12 points, Yves Mekongo Mbala (Elizabeth, NJ/St. Patrick's) netted 13, and Kimmani Barrett (Paterson, NJ/Paterson Catholic) and Ruben Guillandeaux (Brooklyn, NY/St. Patrick's) chipped in 10 apiece.

Johnson also registered season highs in rebounds (7) and steals (4).

Tyler Bernardini scored 23 points while Zack Rosen and Harrison Gaines added 10 apiece for the Quakers (4-9), who fell to 0-3 in the Big Five and lost for the first time at Tom Gola Arena since Dec. 7, 1999. Penn had won three straight at La Salle's on-campus arena.

La Salle held a 16-point advantage with 13:22 left in the second half, but Penn chipped away to move within 58-51 at the 5:53 point. Barrett pushed the Explorer lead back to double digits with a 3-point shot and the Quakers did not get closer than eight down the stretch.

The first half had all the makings of an Explorer romp with a 16-point lead and the Quakers shooting an abysmal 25.8 percent.

After the first five minutes of back-and-forth ball, Mekongo Mbala jump started a 16-0 Explorer run with two consecutive treys. The Explorers held the Quakers without a point from 15:15 to 7:40 to push the score to 22-7.

Penn's Brennan Votel snapped the Quaker scoring drought with a jumper, but Ruben Guillandeaux responded with a 3-point swish to push the Explorer lead to 16.

The Explorers took a 31-17 lead into the break, but the Quakers came out firing in the second half to prevent the home squad from putting the game entirely out of reach. The Quakers scored 53 second-half points on 18-for-32 shooting in the second stanza.

The Explorers are on the road again this weekend when they head to Amherst, Mass., for a tilt with Massachusetts. Tip-off is slated for 4:00 PM.