University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
La Salle
Home Win Streak Snapped By La Salle 65-44
February 08, 2006 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 8, 2006
Box Score | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery
AMHERST, Mass. - A poor shooting night and a late 13-to-0 Explorer run late in the second half ended UMass' 12-game home win streak on Wednesday night as La Salle defeated the Minutemen 65-44 at the Mullins Center. The win for La Salle ended the longest active win streak win the Atlantic 10.
Junior James Life (Fort Myers, Fla.) scored 18 points, all in the second half and the final points for the Minutemen, to lead UMass. He tallied 12 consecutive points in a two minute, five second stretch hitting six free throws and three consecutive three pointers to rally the Minutemen (10-10, 5-5 A-10) back from an 18 point deficit. Life's third trey on a fast-break pull-up from the right arc cut the La Salle (14-7, 6-4 A-10) lead to 46-41 with 7:48 to cap a 15-to-2 UMass run, but it was as close as the Minutemen could to get.
La Salle put together a 13-to-0 run to go up by 18 with 2:35 remaining, 54-41. Smith, who picked up his fourth foul with 14:29 remaining in the game forcing him to sit until the five minute mark, scored five of his 10 points for the game in that run.
The Explorers came out strong to start the second half on a 19-to-8 run over the first 10:13 minutes of the period. Redshirt sophomore Dante Milligan (New York, N.Y.) snapped a 10 minute, 10 second UMass stretch without a field goal - going back to the first half - when he hit a lay-up with 13:18 to go.
Life was the only Minuteman to reach double figures in the scoring column on the night. Junior Rashaun Freeman (Schenectady, N.Y.) hauled in 11 rebounds, but was held to 0-for-8 shooting from the floor.
Four La Salle players scored in double figures highlighted by Darnell Harris' 14 points and Mike St. John's 13 points.
UMass shot just 24 percent from the floor for the game hitting 12-of-51 shots, while La Salle shot 39 percent from the floor (24-for-61).
The Explorers took a 27-22 lead into half time after putting together a 13-0 run holding UMass scoreless for nearly eight minutes. Junior Brandon Thomas (San Antonio, Texas) put a stop to the run with a three-pointer at 3:26, part of nine UMass bench points in the first half, to pull the Minutemen within four, 22-18.
Freeman, Lasme and Life were held to just four points combined on 1-for-11 shooting in the period.
The Minutemen will return to action on Sunday, Feb. 12 in Tallahassee, Fla., when UMass squares off against ACC member Florida State at 5:30 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on Fox Sports Net and regionally on NESN.
