Box Score

AMHERST, Mass. - Brittany Wilson drained a season-high 30 points and the La Salle women's basketball squad came back from an eight-point second half deficit to win its second straight, a 68-57 decision over Massachusetts at the Mullins Center on Wednesday afternoon.

Wilson went a perfect 14-for-14 from the free throw line en route to her game-high 30 points, and added five rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocked shots while playing all 40 minutes. Shanel Harrison added a near double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds, and Ebonee Jones added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Explorers (7-13, 3-2 Atlantic 10).

Jasmine Watson led the Minutewomen (3-18, 1-5 Atlantic 10) with a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds. Three other UMass players hit double figures, including Emily Mital (11), Jasmine Harris (11) and Carolann Cloutier (10).

The storyline of Wednesday's game was much the same as Sunday's win at Temple. The Explorers overcame a 43-34 rebounding deficit by forcing 25 UMass turnovers to just 13 Explorer miscues. Thirty-nine of the Explorers 68 points were off UMass turnovers, compared to UMass converting just eight points off miscues.

Although La Salle never trailed in the first half, UMass kept the game within single digits. The Explorers held a 27-23 halftime lead. UMass came out of the half scoring the first five points to take its first lead at 18:08 of the second half on a Watson layup and built an eight-point 43-35 lead midway through the half.

Harrison then hit a jumper and Jones converted a free throw to get within five before Watson responded with a layup to put the home squad back up seven. Jones responded less than 20 seconds later with a layup to spark a deciding 12-0 run. She added six points in that run, Harrison added four and Wilson added a bucket to take a 50-45 lead with 6:40 on the clock.

Watson made the first of two free throws to get within four, but that was the closest UMass got as the Explorers outscored the home squad 18-11 down the stretch.

After a slow first half, shooting just 28.1 percent, the Explorers went 48.3 percent from the floor in the second half to finish the game at 37.7 percent. They limited UMass to 33.9 percent for the game. The team also converted 19 of 24 free throws.

The Explorers return home on Sunday (2/3) when they host George Washington at 1 p.m.