WASHINGTON, D.C. - A last-second three-point attempt from redshirt junior Pookie Powell was just off the mark as the La Salle men's basketball team saw its season come to a close with a 69-67 loss to Massachusetts in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament on Wednesday.

Senior Tony Washington had a tremendous outing in his final game for the Explorers, matching his career high with 20 points and grabbling 12 rebounds. Powell and redshirt senior B.J. Johnson closed with 18 points as La Salle finishes the 2017-18 campaign at 13-19 overall.

The contest was nip-and-tuck throughout, with neither team building a lead of more than eight. Despite struggling from the field throughout the first half, the Explorers stayed close by playing outstanding defense and attacking on offense. La Salle held the Minutemen to 33.3 percent shooting and went to the free throw line 16 times over the first 20 minutes.

Luwane Pipkins accounted for 11 points in the first 11 minutes of the opening half, knocking down three from long range to help UMass build a 19-12 lead at the 9:12 mark of the period.
The Explorers responded with an extended 11-4 run over the next six minutes to tie the game at 23-23, with nine of those points coming from the charity stripe.

La Salle knocked down 14 of its 16 attempts from the line and would eventually head to the locker room trailing by just two despite shooting 29.2 percent from the field and 0-for-9 from three-point range.

The second half was similar to the first in terms of long-range shooting for the Explorers. The team went 1-for-9 from three-point distance but did continue to get to the line with regularity. A pair of free throws from Washington with 17 minutes remaining put La Salle in front, 36-34.

Johnson hit the only three of the game for the Explorers to put the score at 45-42, but the Minutemen scored the next 10 points to take control. C.J. Anderson had five in the run as UMass entered the final 10 minutes of the game leading 52-45.

The Explorers did not go down without a fight, however, and a three-point play in transition by Johnson tied the game at 57-57. Another traditional three-point play from Powell briefly gave La Salle a 62-61 lead approaching the four minute mark, before UMass came back with four straight to take a three-point lead.

From there, a jumper by graduate student Amar Stukes pulled La Salle to within one with under a minute left and, following a fine defensive possession, the Explorers had an opportunity to take the lead. But a jumper from Powell was off the mark and the Minutemen were able to secure the rebound.

After a split pair of free throws from Pipkins, Powell had one last opportunity with under five ticks left but his three from the top of the key was off the mark as the buzzer sounded. 

Anderson finished the game with a game-high 21 points for Massachusetts, who advances to the second round of the A-10 Tournament and will face No. 5 George Mason on Thursday, March 8.