Box Score
Box Score 

PHILADELPHIA - La Salle clamped down on Robert Morris, holding the Colonials to 28% shooting from the field, but RMU was a little better defensively to beat the Explorers, 51-44, in the Philly Hoop Group Classic on Friday at The Palestra. Sophomore Sam Mills had 15 points to lead the Blue and Gold.

It was the best defensive performance for La Salle, in terms of opponent field goal percentage since holding UMass to 23.5% on February 8, 2006.It was the least amount of points allowed by La Salle since that same game, a 65-44 LU win.  

“Those guys are strong, scrappy and relentless,” Giannini said. “You have to tip your hats to them. That is a relentless hard working outstanding basketball team.”

Mills and junior Ramon Galloway, back after missing the last three contests recovering from a concussion, held RMU (4-1) leading scorer Velton Jones (Northeast Catholic) to 4-for-15 shooting. Jones led the Colonials with 14 points, while another local product Russell Johnson (Chester) added 12.

While La Salle's defense was good, Robert Morris' was even better. The Explorers shot 3-for-22 (13.6%) from long distance and committed 17 turnovers, six more than their average. Galloway (eight points) was the only other Explorer to score more than five.

“We didn't shoot a good percentage but their defense had a lot to do with that,” Giannini said.

 La Salle was also outrebounded by a 45-30 margin.

“The biggest problem I have is getting out rebounded by 15,” Giannini said. “It comes down to getting a little bit tougher. We have some tough guys but Robert Morris is at the highest level of toughness.”

The game was close throughout, with the largest lead by any team being five until the final seconds. La Salle held RMU to just one field goal in the final 13:55 of the first half before Jones' jumper at the buzzer tied it at 19-19.

Robert Morris started the second half on a 5-0 run to make it 24-19 and La Salle would take the lead just twice more in the contest, the last coming with 6:27 left on sophomore Tyreek Duren's foul shot that made it 36-35.

The Blue and Gold cut it to two, 43-41, with 2:07 to play on Mills' three-pointer but would draw no closer.

La Salle (2-3) is back at The Palestra on Saturday at 4:30 PM to face Rider. The game will be televised by The Comcast Network.

Notes: This was the first meeting between the two schools…Duren, Mills and Earl Pettis came into the game averaging 49.2 and were held to 25…Freshman Steve Zack had a career-high six rebounds.