Feb. 9, 2011

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Ashley Gale posted a game-high 21 points as the Explorers defeated Rhode Island 61-49 in Atlantic 10 play at Tom Gola Arena on Wednesday evening.

La Salle improves to 4-5 in the A-10 and is now on a two-game winning streak.

Ebonee Jones notched 15 points, while Alexis Scott added 11, which included three-for-three shooting from beyond the arc.  Gale went 5-for-12 from three, the second-highest tally she has hit this season.

Nadia Duncan and Jess Koci added 12 and 11 rebounds, respectively.

For the Rams, Megan Shoniker tallied 20 points, while Caitlin Kearns had a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds.

The Explorers fell behind early, going down 14-4 just over five minutes into the contest, but would use a 15-4 run to get back into the game.

"The kids showed toughness out there," Williams said. "We were down early, but we able to regroup and come back.  I thought Ebonee Jones and Alexis Scott were huge for us today and Ashley is always playing on a high level."

Scott sunk a trey to get the Explorers within six at 18-12. Jones would narrow the Rams' lead to one after hitting a pair of free throws and then a trey from the top of the arc.

Gale completed a pair of free throw just after the midpoint of the half to give the Explorers their first lead of the game at 19-18 and capped the run for the Blue and Gold.

The Explorers would lead by as many as nine during the half and went into the break with a 33-26 advantage.

The Rams scored the first four points of the second half to get within three of La Salle at 33-30, but it was the closest they would be for the remainder of the game.

The Explorers got hot from three, with their first 18 points of the half being treys, to give themselves a 53-38 edge with 9:07 remaining. 

Scott completed a pair of free throws to put La Salle up 55-40 with 8:15 to play for the Explorers' first points of the half that didn't come from beyond the arc.

The Explorers shot .440 from distance in the game.

Gale registered five steals and with 73 this season, she moved into sixth all-time in single season steals.  Her 174 career steals are now good for seventh all-time on the career list.

The Explorers will next travel down Broad Street to face Temple on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.