PHILADELPHIA – Saint Joseph's guard Lamarr Kimble connected on what proved to be the game-winning jumper with 15.8 seconds remaining to hand the La Salle University men's basketball team a tough 73-72 loss in Atlantic 10 action on Saturday evening.
 
Senior Jordan Price, who scored a team-high 21 points and had 16 of those in the second half, had a chance to give the Explorers (11-8, 5-3 A10) the last-second win but his short hook shot with time running down rolled off the rim as the team fell to 11-8 on the season and 5-3 in league play.
 
La Salle overcame an eight-point halftime deficit that grew to nine early in the second stanza, as a layup and three-pointer from Price jumpstarted a 7-0 spurt that trimmed the margin to 42-40.
 
The Explorers remained within striking distance and took their first second-half lead courtesy of two free throws from junior Tony Washington at the 11:52 mark. Two more from the charity stripe from senior Cleon Roberts increased the advantage to 64-58 with 7:50 left.
 
A 7-1 run, including five points from SJU's Charlie Brown, knotted the score at 65-65 as the nip-and-tuck game moved into the final six minutes of regulation. Two free throws from Price preceded layups by both teams as the Explorers took a two-point lead with 5:10 on the clock.
 
From there, both teams turned up the heat defensively and did not allow a field goal for a stretch of over four minutes. Brown hit three free throws for the Hawks over the span while junior Demetrius Henry converted one to tie the score once again at 70-all.
 
With under two minutes left, Kimble missed a contested jump shot on a nice defensive sequence by the Explorers. On the next possession, junior Amar Stukes converted on a short jumper in the paint to nudge La Salle in front, 72-70.
 
A free throw from St. Joe's guard James Demery brought the home squad within one with 1:03 remaining, before an empty offensive by the Explorers led to the final sequence.
 
La Salle got off to a hot start to begin the game and led 10-7 following a three-pointer from junior B.J. Johnson. But a jumper from SJU's Chris Clover put the home team in front, 11-10.
 
Clover was the offensive catalyst for the Hawks in the opening stanza, scoring 16 of his 21 points on 6-of-7 shooting. St. Joe's shot 52.3 percent from the floor and 6-of-10 from three-point range to take a 37-29 lead into halftime.
 
Stukes finished with 16 points and five assists for La Salle, while Johnson was the third to reach double figures with 14 points and seven rebounds. Brown had 15 points, Kimble closed with 14 and Demery added a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards for the Hawks (10-10, 3-5 A10).
 
La Salle returns home for another Atlantic 10 matchup with Massachusetts on Wednesday, Feb. 1. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.