ST. LOUIS - The La Salle University men's basketball team cut a 13-point deficit to four with 2:30 remaining in the second half but could not get over the hump in a 70-62 loss at Saint Louis on Saturday evening.

Senior B.J. Johnson had 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Explorers, who dropped their second straight game and fell to 10-15 overall and 4-8 in Atlantic 10 play. The win improves the Billikens to 14-12 and 7-6 in league competition.

An 11-2 run that spanned just over three minutes brought La Salle to within a pair of possessions at 62-58 with 2:30 to go. The Explorers appeared to have stopped the Billikens on the other end, but a rebound slipped out of a La Salle player's hands right to Jordan Goodwin, who converted on a layup to re-up the margin to six.

Two free throws from sophomore Isiah Deas, who concluded his game with 15 points and 10 boards, once again brought the deficit to four points with 1:40 on the clock. La Salle applied a full-court press and forced a Saint Louis turnover, but on the ensuing possession could not convert a layup chance to make it a one-possession game.

After the missed opportunity, the Billikens made six straight free throws to seal the contest.

In the first half, Johnson scored La Salle's first 10 points and helped the visitors to a 12-9 lead at the 12:33 mark. The opening period was a defensive struggle as both teams shot below 35 percent. Despite the fact that the Explorers shot just 27.6 percent in the period and committed seven turnovers, the teams went into the locker room deadlocked at 26-26.

Saint Louis opened up a six-point lead early in the second half before the Explorers responded thanks in large part to Deas, who had a personal 5-0 run that pushed La Salle in front 43-40 with 12:29 on the clock. The Billikens, however, went on a pivotal 12-0 run that turned the tides and opened up a double-digit lead before La Salle's last-ditch effort.

Jordan Goodwin scored a career-high 28 points and went 13-of-16 from the free-throw line, while Hasahn French also set a new career best with 17 points and added nine rebounds.

La Salle returns home for the first of three straight at Tom Gola Arena on Tuesday, Feb. 13 against St. Bonaventure. TIpoff is set for 7:00 p.m.