Box Score
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AMHERST, Mass. – La Salle became the first team to defeat Massachusetts at home this season, and won for the seventh time in its last eight tries against the Minutemen, in an entertaining 72-71 victory at the Mullins Center on Saturday night. Sophomore Tyreek Duren scored all of his 15 points in the second half, including a fade-jumper with 50 seconds left that broke a 66-66 tie.

Duren had five of La Salle's six points in the final minute, including a 3-for-4 shooting from the foul line, to allow La Salle to overcome UMass. The Minutemen nearly tied the game at the buzzer but Terrell Vinson's foot was ruled to be on the line and the Explorers escaped with a one-point victory.

Senior Earl Pettis led all scorers with 18 points, including 15 on five three-pointers in the first half. Junior Ramon Galloway had 15 points, 13 in the second half, and grabbed seven rebounds. Freshman Jerrell Wright also added 15 points and corralled eight rebounds.

The contest was tight throughout, featuring 11 ties and 11 lead changes. La Salle went on a 10-2 run midway through the half that turned a three-point deficit into a 57-49 lead with just under eight minutes to play.

The run shifted the momentum toward La Salle (18-9, 7-5 A-10), but the Minutemen closed to tie the score at 62-62 with 3:56 to play.

The teams traded baskets before Duren gave the Explorers a lead they would not relinquish.

Freshman Maxie Esho led UMass with 18 points, while Raphiael Putney had 17 points. Chazz Williams scored 11 points and dished 10 assists as the Minutemen fell to 12-1 at home this season.

The contest started out all UMass, as Putney scored 11 early points to give the hosts an early 15-5 lead. But the Explorers fought back to tie the score at 19-19 four minutes later on the back of Pettis' three-point shooting.

The Blue and Gold improve to 17-3 when scoring at least 70 points and 15-4 when making at least eight threes.

With four games remaining in the regular season, the Explorers are in hunt for a bye to the quarterfinals of the A-10 Tournament. The top four seeds receive a first-round bye and La Salle currently are a half-game out of fourth place. 

UMass falls to 18-8, 7-5 in the Atlantic 10. 

La Salle will return to Gola Arena to host Temple on Wednesday at 7 PM.