PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle men's basketball team defeated crosstown rival the Temple Owls, 83-75, on Saturday evening at John Glaser Arena. With the win, the Explorers will face A-10 rival, Saint Joseph's in the Big 5 Classic Title Game at Wells Fargo Center next Saturday.
 
For the second straight game, Corey McKeithan stole the show for La Salle. The graduate transfer from Rider racked up a career-high 28 points, surpassing the career-high of 27 he set last game against Stetson. On defense, a combination of Deuce Jones and Daeshon Shepherd limited one of the premier scorers in the nation, Jamal Mashburn Jr., to 15 points on 6-19 shooting. His lowest scoring output this season.
 
Explorers' fans can follow the team on X/Twitter @LaSalle_MBB and Instagram @lasallembb.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half

• The matchup began airtight, with only one point of separation after the first six minutes, 12-11. Demetrius Lilley scored the first five points of the game for La Salle.
• Lilley continued to dominate, scoring the next four points to bring his total to nine. McKeithan hit a layup to stretch the lead to seven, 18-11 with 10:55 remaining.
• The Explorers maintained a healthy advantage thanks to stingy defense and strong all-around play from Mac Etienne.
• A run from the Owls cut the lead to two points, 24-22. The teams battled for control, with neither side able to build a sizable advantage despite a McKeithan three and a dunk from Mac Etienne.
• The Explorers finally got some separation in the last couple of minutes of the half thanks largely to dynamic defense and hot shooting from McKeithan.
• The half concluded with an impressive sequence. Andres Marrero recorded his third steal of the game and found McKeithan open on the other end to spend the Explorers into the locker room with a 42-33 advantage.

Second Half

• After a brief back and forth, back-to-back three-pointers from Shepherd gave La Salle a 50-39 advantage, its first double-digit lead of the game.
• The Explorers' defense continued to hold as four points from Jahlil White pushed the lead to 12 points with 15:32 remaining.
• The scoring picked up, but Temple could not cut the lead to single digits. A three pointer from Lilley with 11:58 remaining extended the lead to 15 points, the largest it would be all game.
• As the final ten minutes began to wind, Temple began to slowly chip away at the lead. Two free throws by the Owls cut the deficit to eight points, the first time it fell to single digits since the half began.
• White knocked scored three points off an and-one opportunity with 6:30 remaining, to pull the lead back to 11, but Temple's offense stayed strong, trimming the advantage to six with 3:50 on the board.
• A layup from Temple's Quante Berry cut the lead to four, 77-73, but La Salle would not be denied its victory, with a dunk from Shepherd sending the arena into a frenzy to put the homestanding Explorers' back up six points.
• Berry hit two more free throws to pull the game back within four, 79-75 with a minute remaining, but the former Owl Jahlil White, played strong down the stretch, grabbing two rebounds and knocking down a pair of free throws to secure the win for La Salle.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• This is the first time La Salle has defeated Temple since 11-26-2017 at Tom Gola Arena.
• Lilley scored 13 points, his third time in double figures this season.
• White, a Temple graduate transfer, recorded his eighth career double-double and second of the season.
• Marrero shattered his career-high in assists with six. His previous career-high, which he had reached seven times (including last game against Stetson), was three.
• La Salle bested the Owls on both the glass and in the assist column

 
UP NEXT

• La Salle heads to Boston to face Northeastern on Tuesday at 7p. The game will stream on FloSports.