Kingston, R.I. – The La Salle men's basketball team fell Saturday afternoon to the Rhode Island Rams at The Ryan Center, 86-71. Five Explorers scored in double figures for the second time in five games.
 
Deuce Jones impressed in all phases. The freshman guard recorded his first career double-double, scoring 18 points and grabbing a career-high 11 rebounds. He also set a career-high in steals with five and passed for four assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Half:

• Jahlil White struck back-to-back three-pointers for the first six points for the Explorers (11-6, URI).
• The Explorers got in foul trouble early in the first half, with White and Mac Etienne each picking up two fouls within the first seven minutes of action.
• After the Rams built a seven-point lead, Jones and Demetrius Lilley kept the game tight in the first half via threes.
• Rhode Island caught fire on a 12-1 run to take a 34-19 lead with six minutes to go.
• Lilley and Jones scored five straight to trim the lead to 10, but the Rams came right back with a three.
• With the score locked at 37-24, La Salle began an impressive run to close the gap heading into halftime. Corey McKeithan hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to cap off a 12-1 run to cut the lead to four points, 38-34.

 
Second Half:

• URI came out red hot, scoring the first eight points of the second half. Daeshon Shepherd was the first to find the bottom of the net for the Explorers.
• Down by 13, 49-36, La Salle made a strong effort to cut into the lead, scoring eight quick points.
• The teams traded runs, with eight points from the Rams and five from the Explorers. Rhode Island led, 58-50 with 12 minutes to go.
• Rhody had another run in the tank, scoring six straight points to build its largest lead of the game to that point to go up 14. La Salle again returned serve, scoring five, 64-55 URI.
• With the Rams maintaining a nine-point lead, Jones converted a four-point possession off a flagrant one to slice the lead to five points, 70-65.
• Rhode Island ripped off seven straight points to bury the Explorers and seal the win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• McKeithan scored in double-figures for the third straight game. It is his sixth time crossing the ten point marker in the last seven games.
• White set a career-high with three made threes. He also scored 13 points, his fourth outing in double-figures in the last five games.
• Lilley scored 13 points, his most since adding 16 at Saint Bonaventure in early January.

NEXT UP

La Salle returns to Philadelphia to host the Richmond Spiders on Wednesday night. The game will tip at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+. Tickets are available at GoExplorers.com/tickets.