PHILADELPHIA – Explorer women's basketball secured their third win in a row with a 70-64 win over Massachusetts. La Salle now sits at 6-10 overall this season and 3-2 in A-10 play ahead of a huge match up on Monday against Philadelphia rival St. Joseph's.
 
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HOW IT HAPPENED:

• La Salle began the game fast, and took control from an offensive standpoint right away. Molly Masciantonio tallied five quick points within the first few minutes of the game.
• Not long after, UMass fought back. Stefanie Kulesza found the basket on three straight possessions to give the Minuteswomen the lead back at 10-9.
• The remainder of the opening frame of play was controlled by Massachusetts as they went on a 10-6 run, getting points from different players.
• Down 22-15 early in the second, La Salle started to inch closer to the UMass lead started by a three-point shot from Gabby Turco.
• Kristen Williams ensured the lead would stay in Massachusetts' favor. The leading scorer for the Minutewomen scored her sixth point and brought them up to an eight-point lead.
• La Salle would not go away, however, and Nicole Melious started to heat up. The freshman did what she does so well and knocked down three-point shots. She ended the first half with 11 points and La Salle found themselves down 33-32 at the break.
• Both teams made halftimes adjustments and stifled the opposing offenses for the starting portion of the third quarter. At the six-minute mark in the quarter, however, Turco kicked her scoring into gear and hit her second three-pointer of the game.
•  The junior finished the third with nine points and helped the Explorers stay in this game entering the fourth down 47-42.
• The Explorer offense started quick in the fourth with a Tiara Bolden three-point conversion, and then Turco got them the lead. A pass from Makayla Miller, who had three to this point, allowed Turco to get an open shot from three, and she got it to fall. La Salle now led 49-47.
• A pair of Masciantonio free throw brought the lead to four, and then a familiar sequence happened again. Miller found Turco who drive to the bucket for her 14^th point of the night.
• Alexsia Rose brought UMass within three, but it was not enough. Turco knocked down another three to give her 17 points, a season-high.
• From there, UMass played the foul game and La Salle converted on free throws to help to a third-straight win.

 
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Gabby Turco scored a season-high and Division I career-high 17 points in tonights game. She had a team-high four three-pointers made.
• Makayla Miller tied a season-high in assists against the Minutewomen with three, including crucial passes that led to points from Turco.
• Nicole Melious rebounded tonight after a tough game against St. Bonaventure and scored 14 points. She was 5-13 from the field and 3-9 from three.
• La Salle fought the entire game, being down for most of it. The Explorers only had the lead for 12:25 of the game.
• Molly Masciantonio has scored double-digit points in four-straight games now after her 11 points today.

 
UP NEXT:

• The Explorers will travel to City Line Avenue to meet the cross-town rival St. Joseph's Hawks on Hawk Hill Monday, January 15^th at 12:00 p.m.
• The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Net, the first and only nationally televised game of the season.