BROOKLYN - The La Salle University men's basketball team had its season come to a close at the Atlantic 10 Championship with a 76-57 defeat to the Rhode Island Rams at Barclays Center on Thursday.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Rams scored the first six points of the contest before the Explorers go it going, trailing 8-6 after a pair of free-throws by graduate student Pookie Powell.
• The difference remained two after a Traci Carter three-pointer and a layup from Jared Kimbrough. La Salle later came within a single point, 16-15, after sophomore David Beatty knocked down a pair of foul shots.
• Beatty drilled a three with 9:01 left in the first half to keep the Explorers within two, but the Rams followed that with a 12-0 run to jump on top, 32-18, with 3:17 until halftime.
• Freshman Ed Croswell and junior Isiah Deas cut the lead to ten with baskets in the paint, as La Salle trailed at the break, 32-22.
• Rhode Island, which shot 44.8 percent in the first half, continued to shoot it well out of the gate after halftime and led 42-27 at the under-16 media timeout.
• Junior Saul Phiri hit a three to make it a 12-point difference before the Rams answered back with a 7-0 run.
• Shortly after, Fatts Russell scored the next 10 Rhode Island points, pushing the Rams ahead, 56-35. A layup by graduate student Cheddi Mosely and three free-throws by Phiri brought La Salle within 18, but the Rams streaked out to a 12-0 run to put the game out of reach.
• Mosely made a pair of threes down the stretch, but the damage was already done, as Rhode Island advanced to the quarterfinals.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Phiri led the Explorers with 10 points, eight of which came in the second half. Kimbrough scored seven of his nine points in the second half and added six rebounds and a block.
• Beatty and Mosely each chipped in eight points apiece, while Croswell grabbed 12 rebounds.
• Rhode Island shot an effective 45.5 percent from the floor led by Cyril Langevine's 20 points on 9-of-10 shooting. Russell added 19 points for the Rams.
• The Explorers finish the season having overcome an 0-10 start to the season, rallying to earn the No. 9 seed in the 14-team Atlantic 10.