Quinnipiac University
La Salle
QU Men's Basketball Edged by La Salle, 60-58
11/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
- Box Score
HAMDEN, Conn. – Two free-throws with 3.3 seconds remaining proved to be the difference in Tuesday night's non-conference clash, as the Quinnipiac men's basketball team fell short to La Salle University, 60-58, at the TD Bank Sports Center.
Trailing late in the second half, Quinnipiac mounted a 10-4 run in the closing three minutes to erase a six-point deficit. Zaid Hearst (Bethesda, Md.) capped off the spurt with two free-throws with 12 seconds remaining after getting fouled on a three-point attempt. Hearst buried the first two, but rimmed out the third leaving La Salle with the final possession.
Auburn University transfer Jordan Price drove into the lane and drew a foul to get to the line with 3.3 seconds left. He made both, and Quinnipiac couldn't get a shot off before the final buzzer sounded.
Quinnipiac was led by its senior captain who backed up a 34-point effort against Yale with 18 points against the Explorers. Hearst went 7-for-21 from the floor and 4-for-5 from the free-throw line and grabbed eight rebounds in the losing effort. Ousmane Drame (Boston, Mass.) was also in double-figures with 10 points and 11 rebounds for his 26th career double-double.
Justin Harris (Paterson, N.J.) turned in another solid performance with nine points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Evan Conti (Bayside, N.Y.) finished with six points, six rebounds and four assists, while Kasim Chandler (Newark, N.J.) tossed in eight points, all coming from the free-throw line (8-8), and dished out five assists. James Ford (Hopewell, Va.), Chaise Daniels (Meriden, Conn.) and Alain Chigha (Gainesville, Fla.) each chipped in with a couple points as well.
Offensive woes plagued both teams throughout the evening, but La Salle clicked in the second half to gain momentum. Quinnipiac shot just 28.6 percent from the floor and had 16 turnovers by nights end. La Salle's pressure at the guard position wreaked havoc beyond the perimeter.
The top front court in the MAAC bested one of the better Atlantic 10 front courts, dominating the glass, 59-35. Last season, La Salle matched Quinnipiac on the glass. QU converted 21 offensive rebounds into 18 second-chance points.
La Salle, the first Atlantic 10 opponent to come to Hamden since Rhode Island in 2010, improved to 2-0 on the season. Price led the Explorers with 18 points going 6-for-17 from the floor. Steve Zack paced the front court with seven points and 11 rebounds despite foul trouble. Jerrell Wright, an All-Atlantic 10 Preseason selection, left the game with an apparent injury late in the first half.
Quinnipiac returns to the hardwood on Saturday, Nov. 22 with its first true road test of the 2014-15 season. The Bobcats head upstate New York to take on Albany at SEFCU Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
Fans interested in purchasing tickets for the 2014-15 campaign can call the QU Ticket Office at 203-582-3905, visit the official website of Quinnipiac athletics, www.QuinnipiacBobcats.com or make a trip to the TD Bank Sports Center Ticket Office.
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