Box Score
Box Score (PDF)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The La Salle men's basketball team cut a 16-point halftime deficit down to six with 2:53 to play but would get no closer in a 74-65 loss at Charlotte in the Atlantic 10 opener for both teams. Senior Ramon Galloway scored 23 points and grabbed a career-high nine rebounds.
 
“We clearly lost the game in the first half,” head coach Dr. John Giannini said. “We played much harder in the second half but it was too little too late.”
 
Poor shooting plagued the Explorers for all 40 minutes, especially in the first half and trailed 33-17 at the break. La Salle shot 7-for-32 (21.9%) from the field in the first half, including 1-for-13 (7.7%) from long range.
 
After halftime, La Salle was more effective from the field, shooting 40% but still struggled from behind the arc (3-for-16).
 
Some of that had to be due to Charlotte's defense, which came into the game leading the A-10 in field goal percentage defense (36.8%) and third in three-point defense (30.8%).
 
“They defended better than us,” Giannini said. “I will give them credit on the defensive end.”
 
Galloway did all he could to will his team back into the contest in the second half, scoring 17 of his 23 points after the break. It is his Atlantic 10 leading seventh game scoring at least 20 points. He came into the contest leading the league in scoring at 17.8 ppg.
 
Junior Tyreek Duren had 12 points and five assists, moving him within 17 points of reaching the 1,000 point milestone. Sophomore Jerrell Wright added 11 points and nine rebounds.
 
Pierria Henry paced the 49ers with 20 points. Charlotte improved to 13-2 and 1-0 in the A-10 and is 8-1 at Halton Arena this season.
 
La Salle (10-4, 0-1 A-10) drew within single digits several times early in the second half but trailed by 15 with 7:19 to play at 57-42.
 
A Tyrone Garland lay-up kicked off a 9-2 run that got it to 59-51 with 5:06 to play on junior Sam Mills' three-pointer. Charlotte got the advantage back to double-digits but a 6-0 run highlighted by the second of Galloway's monster dunks made it 65-59, 49ers with 2:53 to play.
 
It would be as close as the visitors would get however, as Charlotte connected on its free throws and kept La Salle at bay.
 
The Explorers tied Charlotte on the glass as each team pulled down 45 rebounds. The Blue and Gold had a season-best 24 offensive rebounds.
 
La Salle will host Richmond on Saturday at 2 PM. All children 12 and under will get free admission to help celebrate the Explorer's birthday.