PHILADELPHIA - The La Salle University men's basketball team used a smothering defense to force Bucknell into 23 turnovers en route to a 71-59 victory at The Palestra on Saturday. The Explorers, who received a career-high 16 points from sophomore Jared Kimbrough, close out the non-conference season with a 9-3 record which marks their best 12-game start since the 2012-13 season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Senior Isiah Deas, who scored 10 of his 15 points in the first half, broke a 4-4 tie and ignited a 13-0 spurt with a three-pointer at the 18:26 mark of the first half.
• Six different players scored during the run that gave the Explorers a double-digit lead it would hold the majority of the contest.
• Bucknell scored six of the next eight points to trim the margin to nine, which is where it stood at the midway point of the period.
• Following a three-pointer by the Bison, Deas and sophomore Ed Croswell combined for nine straight for La Salle to bump the advantage to 31-13.
• Defensively, freshman Ayinde Hikim was a key to La Salle forcing 13 first-half turnovers and holding Bucknell to 24.0 percent shooting.
• Hikim had two of his game-high five steals in the first half and also added four assists, two of which came to Kimbrough in the final portion of the opening half.
• Kimbrough scored the final six points for the Explorers as they went to the locker room holding a 37-21 lead.
• La Salle put together a 9-2 run to start the second half, with junior Scott Spencer converting a four-point play to put the score at 46-23 with 17:04 remaining.
• From there, the Explorers cruised to their ninth win of the season and matched La Salle's best start since the 2012-13 (9-3). 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• The 23 forced turnovers set a new high for the Explorers this season, with the prior high of 20 coming against nationally-ranked Villanova.
• La Salle's 13 steals also marked a season best total, and matched the number from last season's matchup with Bucknell on Dec. 4, 2018.
• In addition to Kimbrough and Deas, two other Explorers reached double figures in scoring -- junior David Beatty (11) and Croswell (10).
• Bucknell went a perfect 18-for-18 from the free-throw line and were led in scoring by Jimmy Sotos who had 17 points but committed seven turnovers.
• Kimbrough's career-high point total came on his 20th birthday and outdid his prior high of 14 set last season against Fordham.

UP NEXT

• Atlantic 10 play begins for the Explorers on Thursday, Jan. 2 against No. 18 Dayton at Tom Gola Arena at TruMark Financial Center.
• Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m., with the contest scheduled to air live nationally on CBS Sports Network.
• Tickets can be purchased by calling (215) 951-1999 or by visiting www.goexplorers.com/tickets.