GLASSBORO, N.J. – The circumstances were certainly unique. A Division I team visiting a Division III team for the first time in 12 years. Phillies public address announcer Dan Baker was on the microphone. And the visiting head coach received a standing ovation before the game started.
 
But after a sluggish start, the La Salle men's basketball team began to put things together and defeated Rowan, 81-51, on Saturday afternoon at Esby Gym. The game was scheduled to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of Rowan's 1996 National Championship that La Salle head coach Dr. John Giannini coached.
 
The 1996 team was recognized at halftime and in a post-game banquet.
 
"To see the multitude of former faculty, alumni, former players, townspeople that used to come to the games, meant more to me than I could possibly say," Giannini said.  "The people were second to none."
 
Redshirt junior Jordan Price had 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals in an all-around effort that included shooting 5-for-7 from three-point range. Graduate student Rohan Brown had 14 points, while sophomores Amar Stukes and Johnnie Shuler each scored 11. Classmate Tony Washington added a career-high 11 rebounds.
 
As a team, the Explorers  (4-1) collected 17 steals. It is the most swipes since also posting 17 twice during the 2005-06 season.
 
Neither team played pretty basketball early on and the Profs actually led 11-8 with a three-pointer by Kris O'Connor with 14:09 before halftime. The Explorers answered with a 14-2 run over the next seven minutes to lead 22-13 with 7:39 to play. Rowan got the deficit to as low as six but would get no closer.
 
"Rowan came out with phenomenal energy," Giannini said. "They out-rebounded us, they forced us into turnovers. It was a big game for me and it was a big game for them. Rowan played with great purpose. We were playing hard, but they were playing harder."
 
Rowan scored the first points of the second half but La Salle responded with a 16-2 run in the next six minutes to lead 54-32 with 13:54 to play. The advantage reached as many as 34 in the closing minutes.
 
The game marked the first time a Division I had visited a Division III school since Villanova played at Redlands in 2003. La Salle improved to 5-0 against Division III opponents since the NCAA split into divisions during the 1973-74 season.
 
"Our main focus as a team was to get this win for Coach G," Price said. "It was an honor to come here and play here for Coach G. It was an experience I'll remember the rest of my life."
 
The Explorers shot 10-for-21 from three and improved to 24-3 when making at least nine three-pointers.
 
Shawn Wilson had nine points off the bench to lead the Profs, who are coached by Joe Cassidy, a former Giannini assistant at Rowan (2-5).
 
La Salle returns home to host Hofstra and former La Salle letterwinner and assistant coach Joe Mihalich on Wednesday at 7 PM.