DAYTONA BEACH, FL – The La Salle men's basketball team (4-2, A-10 0-0) fell in its second game of the Boardwalk Battle, 96-83, against the UIC Flames (4-2, 0-0 Missouri Valley). Deuce Jones was a bright spot for the Explorers. The freshman guard racked up a game-high 21 points while also tying for the game-high in assists with four.
 
Explorers' fans can follow the team on X/Twitter @LaSalle_MBB and Instagram @lasallembb.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half

• La Salle came out of the gate on fire, scoring eight points in the first two and a half minutes to take a five-point lead.
• The Flames knotted the game at eight, but the Explorers kept on coming, riding a plethora of scorers to take a 20-12 advantage with 13:35 left on the board.
• Points from Corey McKeithan and Daeshon Shepherd kept La Salle comfortably in front heading into the under-12 media timeout.
• Following a Mac Etienne hook shot to put La Salle up 28-21, UIC scored eight straight to take its first lead of the game, 29-28.
• The Explorers retook the advantage thanks to an and-1 from Deuce Jones and three straight points from Jahlil White, 34-31.
• Both sides scored in bunches to keep the game tight as the first half wound down. Tunde Vahlberg Fasasi scored five straight points for La Salle to give the blue and gold a 39-35 lead with 3:56 left on the board.
• The Flames concluded the first half on a 13-0 run to take a 48-39 lead into the locker room.

Second Half

• UIC kept the pressure up, beginning the second half on an 11-3 run to stretch the lead to 59-42 heading into the under-16 media timeout.
• Daeshon Shepherd was a bright spot as the Flames held the advantage. The wing scored seven of the Explorers' next 12 points.
• La Salle stabilized thanks to strong play from Andres Marrero and Jones. La Salle cut into the lead in small bursts, but the Flames were able to respond until a Vahlberg Fasasi three-pointer with 4:28 left on the board dropped the lead to 16, 81-65.
• The Explorers mustered a comeback effort late, trimming the lead down to 11 points, 88-77 with just under a minute remaining, but it was too late to turn the result. UIC took the game, 96-83.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Shepherd scored a season-high 15 points.
• Marrero and Vahlberg-Fasasi each reached double-figures for the first time since the first week of the season.
• James Joseph hit a layup in the final minute, his first points of the season.

 
UP NEXT

• La Salle will play its third and final game of the Boardwalk Battle, facing the loser of East Carolina vs. Stetson at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow. The game will stream on BallerTV.