Feb. 5, 2011

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PHILADELPHIA - La Salle rallied from an 11-point deficit with 2:27 left to draw within two but ultimately came up short, 85-81, against Dayton, on Saturday night during a nationally televised game at Tom Gola Arena.

Junior Earl Pettis had a career-high 24 points, while freshman Cole Stefan tied his career-high with 15 points. Senior Steve Weingarten came off the bench to score 13 points and freshman Tyreek Duren added 12.

La Salle erased a 14 point deficit in the first half to take a three point lead by halftime and brought a 17 point deficit in the second down to two points but could not escape with the win.

"La Salle is a good team, especially playing in its gym," Dayton head coach, Brian Gregory said. "You're not just going to walk over them. Down the stretch we just executed defensively."

It took Dayton (17-7, 5-4 A-10) only five minutes in the first half to find itself with an eight point cushion against La Salle. They expanded their lead to 14 points five minutes later.

A charge by La Salle at the five minute mark began to chip away the Flyers' comfortable lead, in no small part to the hustling play of Duren, who had five steals, and a long jumper by senior Ruben Guillandeaux which cut the lead to two. Duren's layup two minutes later tied the score for the first time at 30 apiece. Jerrell Williams' good free and Steve Weingarten's answer to a three pointer by Dayton junior guard Josh Parker tied the score again at 33.

A three by Stefan (he had five treys in the game) and a breakaway layup by Pettis fixed the score at 38-35 at the half.

The Explorer's 14-point comeback in the first half was whittled away by the Flyers during the second half, whose largest lead in the second half was by 17. "I think they came out more aggressive than us," Pettis said. "We can't spot them 17 point halves and expect to win the game."

Dayton junior Chris Johnson, sunk two uncontested three pointers to open the second half which tied the game at 38 points, then pulled Dayton into the lead. Dayton's leading scorer Chris Wright (13.1 ppg) expanded the lead with a trey, and several dunks. He finished the game with 27 points.

The Explorers started their second comeback at the five minute mark with a three point play by Pettis and three's by Stefan and Mills to keep the Explorers within five of Dayton.

After a slew of foul by both teams as the score stayed close, Stefan sunk a clutch three pointer to bring the Explorers back within four points from taking down the Flyers.

Two layups by Pettis narrowed that margin to two points but several fastbreak dunks by Dayton's Wright, who also had six blocks, sealed the final score at 85-81.

"I liked the fight in our guys today," Giannini said. "The guys in the game did everything they possibly could to give us a chance to win."

Giannini coached the game barefoot for Samaritan's Feet, an organization that helps protect children from illness and disease by providing them with shoes.

"I don't even go barefoot in my house," Giannini said. "But last year a podiatrist donated 100 shoes [after Giannini coached barefoot last year]. It blows my mind that 100 kids are walking around in shoes out there because of a basketball game." To donate to Samaritan's Feet, visit www.samaritansfeet.org.

The Explorers (11-13, 3-6 A-10) will visit Saint Louis on Wednesday. The game will be nationally televised on CBS College Sports at 9 PM (Eastern).