PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The La Salle women's basketball team saw four Explorers sink 12 3-point buckets to mount a lead that George Washington couldn't overcome. The Explorers walked away with the 74-65 win and their second consecutive Atlantic 10 victory.
 
La Salle improves to 11-8 on the season and 2-2 in conference play while the Colonials fall to 11-7 overall and 3-2 in the league.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Explorers started the scoring off early with a quick five points building up a 10-5 lead over George Washington before a scoring drought for La Salle started the Colonials on an 8-0 run to take their first lead of the game, 13-10, with 3:38 remaining. GW held the 5-2 edge through the final minutes to take an 18-12 lead into the second quarter.
• Mia Jacobs shifted the momentum and started the scoring with a three ball to end the drought and close the gap. Kayla Spruill stepped up scoring eight unanswered points from 3-of-3 shooting including 2-of-2 from the long range to give La Salle its first lead since the first quarter, 23-21. The threes continued to fall for the Explorers sinking three more in the frame to build up a 38-30 lead over GW at the end of the first half.  
• La Salle got the scoring going in the third with an 8-3 run capped off by the Explorers' ninth 3-pointer of the game from Jaye Haynes to give La Salle it's biggest lead yet, 46-33. The Colonials creeped back up holding the 11-9 advantage through the rest of the frame to cut the deficit to 11 to end the quarter, 55-44.
• The Explorers built up its largest lead, 67-50, through the first eight minutes of the final frame from a 12-6 run. The Colonials picked up the scoring with back-to-back threes cutting the deficit to six, 71-65, with just 48 seconds left and forcing a La Salle timeout. La Salle finished the game with a 3-0 run for the 74-65 victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Spruill led the game with her first double-double of the season racking up 17 points from a 7-of-15 performance from the field including a 3-of-7 effort from the long range. She added 11 boards five assists and two blocks.
• Mia Jacobs has a standout game with 16 points off 6-of-10 shooting including a 2-of-5 effort from three and a perfect (2of-2) performance from the foul line.
• Claire Jacobs and Masciantonio each ended the game with 13 points with each sinking two 3-point buckets. Masciantonio stepped up to the line the most in the game shooting 5-of-8 from the charity stripe.
• The Explorers outshot their opponent from the field 38.1%-32.4% and from the 3-point range 42.9%-36%. La Salle sunk an impressive 12 buckets from the long range with eight coming in the first half.
• Fiona Connolly put in 11 crucial minutes at the point position and recorded two points from 100% shooting at the foul line.

GAME NOTES:

• Spruill has now recorded 12 games in double-digits and four games with three or more 3-pointers. She needs just eight more 3-pointers to tie the program's all-time record of 208 set by Jamie Walsh (2006-10). The double-double marks Spruill's first of the season. She is now the fourth Explorer to reach double-digit rebounding this season.
• Claire Jacobs two threes also moves her up the all-time record list with 173 total. She has now recorded 14 games in double-digits including the last two-straight.
• Mia Jacobs has now hit 10-plus in seven games this season including the last three-straight.
• Masciantonio's 13 points ties her season high and marks her second-consecutive game in double digits.
• The contest marks the 12^th game in which at least three Explorers have reached double-figures, including the last three straight, and the first with four Explorers to earn the mark since Claire Jacobs, Mia Jacobs, Jaye Haynes and Charity Shears did it against Saint Joseph's on Dec. 31.
• The contest marks the Explorers' second-straight with 12 3-pointers in a game, just one shy from the season high of 13.
• The Explorers are now 9-0 when leading at halftime.
• La Salle improves to 9-38 overall and 5-15 at home in the series with George Washington. The win snaps the Explorers single-game losing streak against the Colonials and marks the first win at Tom Gola Arena since Jan. 22, 2021.
• This marks the Explorers' first back-to-back A-10 wins since going 4-0 to round out the regular season in 2021-22.

UP NEXT:

• La Salle prepares for the biggest rivalry in the city as the Explorers head to Hawk Hill to face Saint Joseph's this Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m.