PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle University men's basketball team saw its five-game winning streak come to an end at the hands of No. 20 Dayton in its Atlantic 10 Conference opener from Tom Gola Arena Thursday night, 84-58.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Freshman Ayinde Hikim made back-to-back layups to keep the Explorers within two after the first media timeout, and it remained a one possession game, 14-12, after a pair of foul shots from redshirt junior Scott Spencer nearly six minutes into the game.
• The Flyers caught fire from there though and went on a 6-0 run before making nine straight field goals to take command down the stretch of the opening half.
• Graduate transfer Moustapha Diagne provided a lift off the bench, knocking down two midrange jumpers late in the first for his first career points in a La Salle uniform. But Dayton shot 68 percent from the floor in the half and held a 46-24 lead at the break.
• Sophomore Ed Croswell hit the Explorers' first three shots of the second half and a steal and layup by freshman Christian Ray provided a quick 6-2 run for La Salle 3:05 into the period. However, five straight points from Obi Toppin gave the Flyers momentum once again.
• La Salle found some rhythm offensively in the second frame behind 18 combined second-half points from Croswell and senior Isiah Deas, but Dayton's halftime lead was too much for the Explorers to overcome.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Croswell led the Explorers with 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting to go with seven rebounds. Hikim added nine points and four assists for La Salle.
• Toppin scored a game-high 20 points to pace five double-digit scorers for the Flyers.
• The Explorers went 9-for-11 from the foul line for the game and held the Flyers to 1-for-10 shooting from beyond the arc in the second half.

UP NEXT

• La Salle will look to pick up its first league win of the season on Sunday when the Explorers visit Fordham for a 2 p.m. tipoff in the Bronx.