March 8, 2011

Box Score

OLEAN, NY - It will be a game remembered in La Salle men's basketball lore for a long time. Facing the end of their season at three different junctures, the Explorers received the biggest of shots from two seniors to advance to the Atlantic 10 Quarterfinals with a 75-73 double-overtime victory at St. Bonaventure on Tuesday night. Senior Ruben Guillandeaux tied the game at the end of regulation and overtime and classmate Steve Weingarten gave La Salle the lead with a three-pointer with 32 seconds left in double-overtime.

LU moves on to Atlantic City to face city-rival and second-seeded #24/25 Temple on Friday at 6:30 PM. The game will be broadcast regionally on The Comcast Network.

"It's very rewarding that my career isn't over yet," Guillandeaux said. "We get to play Temple on a neutral court, a team we know really well. We're just excited." Senior Jerrell Williams had 19 points to lead the Explorers while Guillandeaux had 18. Freshman Tyreek Duren added 14 points, including 10 after the break. Sophomore Aaric Murray led LU with 10 boards.

"From a fan's perspective, it's what college basketball is all about," head coach Dr. John Giannini said. "The postseason...a great environment...it's a shame someone had to lose. I feel great about this win."

Trailing by six points midway through the second half, the Explorers took their first lead since eight minutes remaining in the first half on a lay-up by Weingarten with 5:36 to play. It capped a 7-0 run that made it 52-51 for the visitors.

It remained nip-and-tuck the rest of the way before St. Bonaventure first team all-conference standout Andrew Nicholson (game-high 30 points) made a layup with 2:07 left to give the hosts a 55-53 lead.

After two straight possessions without a score, senior Ruben Guillandeaux made a driving layup with 27 seconds to play and Ogo Adegboye's shot with four ticks on the clock was off the mark and the game went into overtime.

Guillandeaux's heroics would continue in the first overtime period.

La Salle (15-17) trailed by seven with 1:22 to play in the extra stanza but quickly close the gap. A lay-up by Duren and traditional three-point play by Williams cut it to 64-62 with 33 seconds left. After a Bonnies free throw pushed the lead to three, Guillandeaux banked in a three-pointer from the far wing to tie the score with 14 seconds left.

On the ensuing inbound, St. Bonaventure turned the ball over with freshman Cole Stefan coming up with the loose ball. But two shots in the final seconds were off the mark and the game went into its second overtime.

SBU (16-14) went ahead by four once again in the second overtime, but a lay-up by Williams and two free throws from Duren tied the score at 71-71. Two Bonnies foul shots with 42 seconds gave the hosts the lead but Weingarten nailed a three from the near wing with 32 seconds left put the Explorers up 74-73.

"Coach G really gave me the confidence to shoot that shot," Weingarten said.

"I was so happy for Steve and for our team," Guillandeaux said.

Two SBU shots in the final 14 seconds were off the mark and Da'Quan Cook missed both free throws with three seconds left that kept LU in the lead. Duren made a foul shot with one second left to seal the victory.

With the win, La Salle improves to 7-5 in A-10 First Round action and has won three of its last four. It was the first Atlantic 10 Championship double-overtime game in La Salle history and just the second in the history of the tournament. Saint Joseph's beat St. Bonaventure, 84-78, at the Palestra in the 1995 Quarterfinals.

La Salle's 14 steals are the seventh most in championship history.