PHILADELPHIA, PA — The University of Dayton men’s basketball team could not overcome a sluggish start against the La Salle Explorers on Wednesday night.
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Dayton fell behind by 25 points in the first half and could not overcome the deficit in a 67-64 loss to the Explorers at John E Glaser Arena in Philadelphia.
La Salle shot 59 percent in the first half and scored 18 straight points to take control of the game.
Keonte Jones led UD with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Javon Bennett added 11 while Bryce Heard finished with 10 points.
The Flyers fell to 14-5 overall, 5-1 in Atlantic 10 play.
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Heard made two free throws to give a 2-0 lead. The Explorers scored 15 of the next 17 points to go ahead, 15-4. Bennett made back-to-back baskets to cut it to 15-8 with 13:13 left until halftime.
La Salle scored 18 unanswered points over five minutes to expand the lead to 33-8. UD cut the halftime deficit to 11 points, 40-29.
The Explorers led, 56-45, with 12:37 remaining, but De’Shayne Montgomery’s three-pointer cut it to 56-48. The Flyers outscored La Salle, 11-2, to get within two points, 58-56.
Dayton got as close as one point, 65-64, with 26 seconds left. But Jerome Brewer Jr. made two fouls to put La Salle ahead, 67-64, with 21 seconds left. Bennett missed a potential game-tying three-pointer.
UD struggled from three-point range on Wednesday. They made 3-of-23 shots from beyond the arc. Bennett went 1-7, Montgomery was 1-6, and Jacob Conner made 1-6 from three.
Dayton will play its second straight game in Philadelphia on Saturday night. They are playing at Saint Joseph’s at 6 p.m.
UD has lost six of its last eight games at La Salle University.
Pre-game coverage on WHIO Radio begins at 5 p.m. The game will also be carried here at WHIO.com.
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