QUEENS, N.Y. - The La Salle University men's basketball team suffered a 62-51 setback at the hands of Saint Peter's on the final day of the Joe Lapchick Tournament, on the campus of St. John's University, on Friday.

Senior Scott Spencer led the Explorers with 11 points, while freshman Jhamir Brickus registered double figures for the second straight game (10).

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Explorers started the game with a 10-2 spurt, connecting on four of their first seven field-goal attempts. A traditional three-point play from Clifton Moore capped the run at the 15:41 mark.
• Freshman Jhamir Brickus knocked down a three-pointer to put the score at 16-8, before Saint Peter's closed the half on a 13-3 run to take a two-point lead into intermission.
• La Salle connected on 28.0 percent of its field-goal attempts over the first 20 minutes and committed eight turnovers. 
• A layup by junior Jared Kimbrough tied the contest at 23-23, but the Peacocks scored nine of the next 11 points to jump in front, 32-25.
• The margin was six at 40-34 following a Brickus layup, when St. Peter's went on a back-breaking 9-0 run that spanned four minutes and bumped the lead to 49-34.
• The difference remained in double figures the rest of the way, as La Salle dropped its second straight to start the year.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• After a sluggish start, both teams fared much better in the second half offensively. Saint Peter's shot 51.7 percent while the Explorers clipped the net at an even 50.0 percent.
• Sophomore Ayinde Hikim was the main distributor for La Salle, contributing six assists in 19 minutes.
• Junior Clifton Moore had nine points, five rebounds and two blocked shots, and averaged 2.5 blocks per game during the Joe Lapchick Tournament.
• Fousseyni Drame had a game-high 19 points and added eight rebounds to lead SPU.

UP NEXT

• La Salle continues its 2020-21 schedule on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at Howard. Tip time has yet to be determined.