Box Score
Box Score (PDF)

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – La Salle received 17 points from junior Tyrone Garland and 16 from classmate Tyreek Duren but the Explorers fell to Butler, 69-58, in the Atlantic 10 quarterfinals on Friday afternoon at the Barclays Center. Sophomore Jerrell Wright posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Blue and Gold, which fall to 21-9 with the loss and will anxiously wait for Selection Sunday.

“We lost to a very good team,” Giannini said. “We had a few situations where we could cut it to four late and we just couldn't get over the hump.”

The Explorers sit on the bubble with several other teams and will sweat it out until 6 PM when the brackets are announced on CBS.

“Our record speaks for itself, our standing finishing third in a great league speaks for itself,” Giannini said. “But there's a lot of good teams out there. We are at the mercy of others a little bit right now.”

Playing without sophomore center Steve Zack, who has missed the past three games with a sprained foot, La Salle was hurt on the glass and was outrebounded by a 41-23 margin. Duren, Garland and Wright combined for 47 of La Salle's 58 points as senior first team all-conference guard Ramon

Galloway was held to four points on 1-for-10 shooting.

Galloway did dish a game-best six assists and had a career-high three blocks.

Butler placed five players in double-figures, led by Rotnei Clarke's 14 points. Khyle Marshall had 13 points.

The Explorers got behind early, trailing by as many as nine in the first half (22-13) with 7:22 til halftime. Duren then scored seven straight points, a lay-up by Wright and two Galloway free throws tied the score up after a quick 9-0 run for the Explorers. Butler recovered and took a two point lead into the intermission.

The Bulldogs (26-7) controlled play for most of the second half, leading by double figures. La Salle trailed by 12 with six minutes to play before three straight foul shots by Wright and a three by Sam Mills cut it to six with 5:11 to play.

The Explorers got to the line with the chance to cut it to four but missed the front end of a one-and-one and Clarke nailed a three-pointer at the other end to put the game out of reach.