Feb. 4, 2009

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Marcus Johnson jammed in a missed shot with 1.8 seconds left to give Dayton a 63-61 victory over La Salle on Wednesday night.

Johnson had 16 points and Chris Wright 14 for Dayton (21-2, 7-1 Atlantic 10), which won its seventh straight.

Rodney Green scored 25 points - one shy of his career high - and Ruben Guillandeaux had 12 for the Explorers (12-9, 3-4).

The Flyers, who led by as many as 17 points in the first half, held a 60-54 lead with 3:35 left. Green then scored five straight points, cutting the lead to 60-59.

After a free throw by Wright, Green's 6-foot turnaround jumper tied the score at 61-all with 46 seconds remaining.

But La Salle never got another shot, and Johnson's follow-up basket off a Wright runner was the winner.

The Explorers' 17-point comeback was the largest deficit the team has overcome this season, besting their 13-point comeback on Saturday at Rhode Island.

Leading 16-12 early in the first half, Dayton went on a 17-4 run to lead 33-16 with 4:55 left in the half. Dayton held a 39-28 advantage at the break, hitting on 13 of 23 shots, while La Salle shot 8-for-20 and committed 11 turnovers.

The Flyers lead 21-13 in the series and have won 13 of 15.

La Salle had not lost back-to-back games since November, when the Explorers dropped three straight to Florida State, Connecticut and Southern Mississippi.