PHILADELPHIA – Senior David Beatty scored a season-high 18 points and sophomore Sherif Kenney added a season-best 16 points off the bench as the La Salle men's basketball team came from behind to earn a 71-61 victory over Delaware on Saturday from Tom Gola Arena. The Explorers trailed for nearly the entire first half but rallied behind a 15-0 run in the second period to topple the Blue Hens.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Delaware jumped in front 35 seconds in and quickly surged out to 12-2 lead before Kenney made back-to-back buckets to start a 7-0 run for the Explorers.
• The two squads traded baskets and then Beatty netted the next six points for La Salle to bring the Explorers within a point, 18-17, at the eight minute mark.
• The Blue Hens stretched the lead back to seven with 1:52 before halftime on a Johnny McCoy three, but a jumper by senior Scott Spencer and a last-second three-pointer by Kenney brought La Salle within striking distance at the half down 32-29.
• After a Delaware trifecta to start the second half, a three from sophomore Christian Ray and a mid-range two by freshman Jhamir Brickus made it a one-point game again, 35-34.
• Brickus and Delaware's Ryan Allen then traded three-pointers and the Explorers tied things up, 38-38, on a Beatty free throw.
• Both squads exchanged baskets from there until the Explorers took their first lead of the game with 12:49 to go on a layup by redshirt junior Clifton Moore.
• The Blue Hens immediately answered with three straight buckets to jump back on top by four, 48-44, and then the Explorers completely flipped the script, going on a 15-0 run to suddenly gain control down the stretch.
• Beatty got the hot hand at the right moment and scored nine points during that run, a stretch that spanned over seven minutes, capped off by a jumper from freshman Anwar Gill that gave the Explorers an 11-point lead, 59-48, and forced Delaware to burn a timeout with 3:27 remaining.
• A pair of foul shots by Kenney later stretched the lead to 12 before the Blue Hens chipped the difference down to six, 63-57, with 1:22 to go. But Brickus knocked down a pair of free throws and redshirt sophomore Jack Clark found Kenney for a layup with 30 seconds left to put the game away.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• After going just 2-of-6 from the foul line in the first half, La Salle was nearly perfect from the charity stripe in the second half, going 11-for-12 in the final period.
• The Explorers capitalized on Delaware's mistakes, scoring 21 points off 18 Blue Hen turnovers, while also holding major advantages in points in the paint (36-18) and fast break points (20-6).
• Beatty scored in double figures for the third consecutive game and was 6-for-10 from the floor with two blocks and a steal. Kenney was efficient as well, going 5-of-8 from the field and 2-for-3 from beyond the arc.
• Brickus put up a career-high 12 points (4-7 FG, 2-3 3PT), while Ray was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field with nine points. Allen led Delaware with 17 points.

UP NEXT

• La Salle will have a quick turnaround as it travels to Maryland for its final non-conference game on Tuesday. The contest will tip off at 7 p.m. and will air on the Big Ten Network.