Jan. 3, 2009

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-from AP reports and La Salle Athletic Communications

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Junior guard Rodney Green (Philadelphia, PA/Prep Charter) scored 21 points and went over the 1,000-point mark in his career in leading La Salle over Howard 81-66 on Saturday.

Kimmani Barrett (Paterson, NJ/Paterson Catholic) added 16 points for La Salle (8-5), which connected on 33 of 53 shots in the game. Eugene Myatt had 19 points and Chris McHenry 18 for Howard, now 1-12 after winning its season opener against Oregon State and losing every game since.

The Explorers hit on 11 of their first 13 shots in jumping out to a 24-17 lead. La Salle, with eight players scoring, hit on 15 of 24 shots in the first half in taking a 34-22 lead, while Howard connected on only 9 of 29.

The Bison went on a 10-0 run spanning from 1:36 left in the first half to 18:23 of the second to close within six points at 34-28. However, the Explorers went on a 15-8 run after a 3-point shot by Kyle Riley with 14:28 left to play and were not threatened again. 

Green became La Salle's 46th 1,000 point scorer on a free throw at the 9:10 mark of the second half. In addition to his 21 points today, he pulled down a game-high seven rebounds.

Ruben Guillandeaux (Brooklyn, NY/St. Patrick's) also continued a hot shooting streak as he added 12 points after hitting a career high 22 on Wednesday night. He dished out a game-high five assists.

Paul Johnson (Washington, DC/Gonzaga) returned to the lineup today after a concussion sidelined him on Wednesday. He scored four points and pulled down three boards in 22 minutes of play. The Explorers remained without the services of Jerrell Williams (Paterson, NJ/Northfield Mount Hermon), who is listed as day-to-day after a back strain in Wednesday morning's shoot-around.