PHILADELPHIA – Five Explorers scored in double figures as the La Salle men's basketball team erased an early deficit and pulled away in the second half to defeat LIU 88-80 on homecoming Saturday afternoon at John E. Glaser Arena.
The Explorers earned their first win of the 2026 campaign, while the Sharks dropped to 0-3. La Salle had five players score in double figures for the first time since Feb. 15, 2025.
Senior forward Anthony Finkley led La Salle with 19 points. Finkley also tallied four assists and three steals.
Redshirt junior guard Rob Dockery finished with 18 points, six rebounds, and matched his career-high with a team-best seven assists.
Sophomore guard Devin Booker scored 10 of his 13 points in the second half, senior guard Kam Burton recorded 11 points and four rebounds, and graduate student forward Noah Collier added 10 points and five rebounds.
La Salle's defensive pressure proved just as important as its balanced scoring. The Explorers forced 17 turnovers and converted them into 17 points while recording 14 steals. They also dominated in transition, outscoring the Sharks 25-5 in fast-break points, and received 28 bench points.
Finkley was especially efficient, shooting 6-of-8 from the field, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, and making all four of his free-throw attempts. Dockery directed the offense, and Booker provided a second-half spark as La Salle pulled away down the stretch.
La Salle erased an early 16-8 deficit behind a fast-break dunk from Finkley and timely 3-pointers from Burton and Finkley. Dockery's fast-break triple in the closing seconds of the first half gave the Explorers a 39-37 lead at the break.
The Explorers carried that momentum into the second half, building a seven-point advantage before LIU rallied to take a 57-55 lead with 10:59 remaining.
Dockery tied the game, and Booker, Dockery, and senior forward Zanki fueled an 8-0 run to put La Salle ahead, 65-57. Booker continued to produce in timely moments, and a Trey Moss 3-pointer and a Collier fast-break dunk helped La Salle build a 77-67 lead.Â
Collier and Finkley added late dunks to energize the crowd, while Dockery sealed the 88-80 victory at the free-throw line.
The Explorers will take a quick bus ride to battle Villanova (1-1) at Finneran Pavilion on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. on TruTV.
