PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The La Salle women's basketball team had a strong shooting effort, but fell just short to VCU dropping the contest to the Rams 62-56 on Friday night in Tom Gola Arena.

The Explorers fall to 12-9 on the season and 5-4 in Atlantic 10 play. VCU improves its record to 10-8 overall and 5-3 in the league.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• VCU got the first bucket of the game which was immediately answered back by the Explorers with a Molly Masciantonio three to put La Salle up by one. The Rams quickly regained the lead and took a 5-0 run into the media to pull ahead by 10, 15-5, with just under five left in the frame. Kayla Spruill set the tone coming out of the break with a three-pointer to start a 7-2 run to cut the deficit in half, 17-12. The stanza ended with a 3-2 advantage in favor of the Rams.
• Three consecutive three-pointers through the 5:41 mark put La Salle in the lead by a single point. The Rams converted a three of their own to take back a two-point advantage heading into the media, 27-25. The Explorers' momentum continued coming out of the break with two-consecutive threes from Spruill to tie it 31-31 at the half.
• The third quarter was a back-and-forth battle that saw four lead changes through the first seven minutes of play. The Rams held the 8-2 advantage through the final three minutes of the quarter to pull ahead by six, 46-40.
• An early Claire Jacobs ball from the long range cut the Explorers' deficit in half, but an ensuing 6-0 run by VCU put the Rams ahead by nine, 52-43, forcing La Salle to call timeout at 6:48. The Explorers wouldn't come closer than four throughout the remainder of the frame with a final layup in the paint from VCU extending the deficit to six at the end of the game.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Spruill was the lone Explorer in double-digits for the night. She totaled 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting including a 4-of-6 effort from deep and 2-of-2 from the charity stripe. She added six rebounds and one assist in the game.
• La Salle won the turnover battle by a narrow +1 margin, 16-17.
• The Explorers fell short at the boards with the Rams out-rebounding them 39-24. VCU totaled 16 offensive rebounds to La Salle's seven.
• La Salle out-shot VCU from the 3-point range (50%-42.1%) and the line (100%-60%).
• The Explorers held the advantage over the Rams in points off the bench, 14-5. The teams knotted in points off turnovers, 17-17.

GAME NOTES:

• La Salle continues to trail in the all-time series against the Rams 3-7. The squad is 2-3 when playing VCU at home.
• The Explorers are now 6-4 when playing on their home court this season. 
• La Salle's 50% shooting performance from beyond the arc marks the best the Explorers have shot from the long range this season.
• The contest marks the second in which La Salle has shot 100% from the line when attempting at least five free throws.
• The Explorers have won the turnover battle in 14 of its games this season including the last two-straight.
• La Salle has sunk at least 10 3-pointers in eight games this season.
• Spruill has now buried four buckets from deep in three contests this season. She has recorded double-figures in 15 contests this season.

UP NEXT:

• La Salle jumps right back into action on Sunday, Feb. 6 against Rhode Island at home in Tom Gola Arena at 2 p.m.