WEST POINT, N.Y. – The La Salle University men's basketball team led by as many as 15 points in the first half, but Army came all the way back to narrowly edge the Explorers, 63-59, from West Point's Christl Arena on Sunday.

Redshirt sophomore Jack Clark had a game-high 18 points and a career-best nine rebounds, while freshman Jhamir Brickus scored in double digits for the third straight game.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Explorers took command right from the start as they scored the first eight points of the game and quickly stretched a double digit lead just over five minutes in when Brickus found senior David Beatty for a three-pointer. Brickus, who was a perfect 3-for-3 from the field in the first half, later sank a deep NBA-range three to make it 18-7 Explorers.
• La Salle kept on hitting from outside to extend its lead to 15 at 27-12 as Clark, sophomore Christian Ray and redshirt junior Clifton Moore all connected from beyond the arc. Another Clark trifecta had the Explorers up 13 before the Black Knights closed within eight, 31-23, at halftime.
• However, the Black Knights flipped the script in the second half and stormed back in the second half to take their first lead of the game, 37-36, on a Tucker Blackwell three with 12:52 to go.
• The Explorers quickly got back in front on a layup from sophomore Ayinde Hikim, but Jalen Rucker put Army up midway through the second half and the home team never surrendered the lead from there. Army would go on to lead by as much as 10 before the Explorers pulled back within a pair on a three-pointer from redshirt senior Scott Spencer with 2:08 remaining.
• La Salle stood within two after a steal and two Beatty free throws, however, a late turnover and two free throws by Rucker sealed it for Army.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• A strong a defensive effort by La Salle in the first half limited Army to just 30.8 percent shooting and a lowly 16.7 percent from downtown. Army turned it around in the second half and hit on 59.3 percent of its shots in the half.
• In just his third game back from injury, Clark made a career-high four three-pointers and had the second highest point total of his young career just over two years removed from a 21-point outing against Bucknell in 2018.
• Brickus finished with 11 points (5-7 FG) and has now scored in double figures in each of his first three career games with the Explorers. The efficent rookie also tallied a season-high three steals.

UP NEXT

• La Salle will host its home opener on Tuesday against Lincoln (Pa.) at Tom Gola Arena. The game can be seen on ESPN+ and will tip off at 4 p.m.