Dec. 10, 2011

Final Stats

Army vs. La Salle Box Score

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – La Salle (7-3) led from tip to buzzer, defeating the Army (3-7) men’s basketball team 76-64 at Tom Gola Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Explorers made 15 three-pointers en route to their fifth straight victory and remained undefeated at home this season.

Junior F Ella Ellis led the Black Knights with 19 points, including five three-pointers. It was his 12th straight game in double figures. Junior F Jordan Springer recorded his first career double-double with 10 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. Sophomore G Josh Herbeck was also in double figures with 10 points.

Ramon Galloway led three La Salle players in double figures with a game-high 26 points. Galloway made 10 of his 12 field goal tries, including a 6-for-7 showing from three-point range. Earl Pettis added 18 points and Sam Mills scored 10 markers. Galloway was also the Explorers’ top rebounder with seven boards.

La Salle shot 53.8 percent for the game, including a 62.1 percent accuracy rate in the first half. The Explorers were 11-for-17 from three-point range in the first 20 minutes. Army was 10-for-18 from behind the three-point line (.556), but were just 12-for-39 inside the arc.

The Explorers never trailed in the game. Galloway knocked down a three-pointer to give La Salle a 3-0 lead less than a minute in, and the Explorers stretched their lead to 14-2 thanks to three more triples, including two by Galloway. Army cut the lead back to nine on an Ellis’ three-pointer with 13:23 to go, but La Salle exploded on a 17-6 run to claim a 31-11 lead with 8:10 on the clock.

The Explorers led 33-13 before Army used a 14-4 run capped by a three-pointer by Jason Pancoe with 3:37 left to pull within 10 points. Galloway answered with a triple and La Salle was able to build its lead back to 16 points. Ellis scored seven of the final 10 points of the half to send the Black Knights into the locker down 48-36.

Herbeck opened the second half with a layup to get Army within 10 points with 19:13 left, but that was as close as the Black Knights would come for the remainder of the game. The Explorers kept their margin between 13 and 21 points before Army scored 11 of the last 13 points to trim the final margin to 76-64.

Army ended its three-game road trip with a 1-2 mark.   The Black Knights take a week off from competition during term-ending exams at West Point. Army opens a two-game homestand, and a stretch of five home games in six outings, on Sunday, Dec. 18 when it squares off with Texas-Pan American. The Black Knights scored a road win in over the Broncos in Edinburg last season.

Game Notes: The Explorers extended their series lead to 14-4 … La Salle has won six straight in the series … Saturday’s game was the first between the two teams since 1990 … The Black Knights and Explorers played 14 times between 1983-90 when both were members of the MAAC … Josh Herbeck has made at least one three-pointer in every game this season … Jordan Springer’s double-double was Army’s first since Ella Ellis had 28 points and 10 rebounds against Lafayette on Jan. 26, 2011 … Saturday’s loss marked the first time Army shot better than 40.0 percent from three-point range and lost this season.