PHILADELPHIA – Junior David Beatty matched his career high with 18 points to pace five double-digit scorers as the La Salle men's basketball team rolled past city rival Saint Joseph's, 83-66, from Tom Gola Arena on Saturday. It was La Salle's fourth straight win over the Hawks at home.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Freshman Sherif Kenney nailed a transition three from the top of the key to give the Explorers a five-point lead early on eight minutes into the first half.
• Beatty then hit a three of his own to start a 15-0 run for the Explorers, capped off by a Saul Phiri three-pointer, forcing a Saint Joe's timeout with seven minutes left in the half with La Salle ahead 28-11.
• Up 32-19, senior Isiah Deas found freshman Brandon Stone for a corner three to provide a 16-point advantage with 3:34 until halftime.
• The Hawks pulled within 11 in the final seconds of the first half, but Beatty delivered a corner three-pointer just before the buzzer to send the Explorers into the halftime break with a 43-29 lead.
• Saint Joe's pulled back within 10 as La Salle got off to a slow start in the second half before sophomore Ed Croswell blocked a shot that led to a transition and-one layup for freshman Ayinde Hikim, pushing the lead back to 13.
• A jumper by Beatty kept the difference at 13 before the Hawks got back within nine, but Kenney hit from beyond the arc to make it 56-44 Explorers midway through the second half. Hikim later converted an and-one layup with 9:01 on the clock to keep the Explorers in control, 62-47.
• Leading by 12 with less than seven minutes to go, Croswell scored seven straight points, highlighted by a driving dunk to give La Salle a 72-57 lead with 4:56 remaining.
• The Explorers maintained the double-digit lead from there and led by as many as 20 points as the home team rolled to victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• La Salle hit 10 three-pointers in the first half alone (10-20) and made 13 for the game, while scoring 16 points off 11 Hawks turnovers in the opening frame to jump out to a comfortable 14-point halftime lead.
• The Explorers had a major advantage in bench scoring with 39 points off the bench compared to just 18 for the Hawks.
• La Salle has now won four in a row at home against Saint Joe's for the first time since taking six straight from 1952-55.
• Croswell had 14 points and eight rebounds, including six on the offensive glass, while Kenney scored 12 and Spencer tallied 11 points. Hikim finished with 10 points and seven assists.

UP NEXT

• The Explorers will remain at home as they host Richmond on Wednesday, Feb. 12, with tip-off at  7 p.m.