PHILADELPHIA - Junior Scott Spencer registered a career-high 17 points and the La Salle University men's basketball team defeated Wagner, 74-60, on Wednesday evening at Tom Gola Arena at TruMark Financial Center. The victory was the third straight for the Explorers, who improve to 7-3 on the season and are off to their best start since 2012-13.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Defense was a critical component of La Salle's fast start, as they held the Seahawks to just six points through the first nine minutes of action.
• A three-point play by reigning Atlantic 10 Co-Player of the Week Isiah Deas put the Explorers in front by a 22-6 margin.
• The advantage remained in double figures the rest of the game, and closed at 16 (37-21) to end the first half.
• Wagner shot just 6-for-27 (22.2%) from the field over the first 20 minutes of action, including 0-for-11 from three-point range. 
• La Salle pushed the lead to 52-27 following a three-pointer from senior Saul Phiri at the 14:15 mark of the second stanza.
• The visitors did attempt to make a comeback, with a three-point bucket from Nigel Jackson trimming the margin to 69-58 with 1:30 to go.
• Deas hit two free throws after a flagrant foul was issued to a Wagner player on the ensuing trip down the court, and the Explorers converted after retaining possession to extend to a 15-point cushion with less than a minute remaining.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Freshman Christian Ray led the Explorers with 10 rebounds and helped the team to a 41-36 edge on the boards.
• La Salle set a season high with 36 free-throw attempts, converting 25 of them.
• In addition to Spencer's point total, Deas and freshman Sherif Kenney each chipped in with 13 points.
• Phiri closed with a solid all-around performance with eight points, seven rebounds and four assists against just one turnover in 34 minutes.
• Alex Morales had a team-high 17 for the Seahawks, who fell to 2-7 on the season.

UP NEXT

• The Explorers will look for their fourth-straight victory on Saturday, Dec. 21 as another Northeast Conference school - Fairleigh Dickinson - invades Gola Arena.
• Tipoff is set for 12:00 p.m., as part of a doubleheader with the women's team. The women will host Big 5 rival Villanova immediately following the men's game.