La Salle knocks off A-10 foe VCU, 55-51 in regular-season finale
The Explorers found a way to snap their two-game losing streak heading into Wednesday's conference tournament
La Salle women’s basketball eked out a win in its regular season finale against VCU, 55-51.
In a game that featured six lead changes, La Salle found a way to snap its two-game losing streak Saturday with a 55-51 win over VCU in its regular season finale. The Explorers were out-rebounded by VCU, as the Rams grabbed 41 boards to La Salle’s 33, but La Salle managed to hold VCU scoreless from behind the arc.
The Explorers (17-13, 8-7 A-10) head into the Atlantic 10 tournament next week on a high note. The Explorers are guaranteed a first-round bye and will be back in action in the second round of the A-10 tournament on Thursday.
“I think it gave a lot of us confidence, because it was a hard win, and we fought for it,” senior guard Claire Jacobs said.
Statistical leaders
On Senior Day, it was La Salle’s veterans who stepped up. Claire Jacobs led the way with 19 points, five boards, and two blocks. Graduate student Kayla Spruill added nine points. Graduate student Molly Masciantonio had four assists, two steals, and four points, including a key three-pointer that ended a burst of VCU momentum in the third quarter.
Senior Amy Jacobs had seven points, while senior Gabby Crawford had six in addition to five boards.
“It was really special. I liked the energy that we had. It was really fun to play today,” Claire Jacobs said.
Timaya Lewis-Eutsey led VCU (7-21, 4-12) with 19 points and seven rebounds.
» READ MORE: Molly Masciantonio is on the ball — and on top of the country in assist-to-turnover ratio
Slow start
La Salle’s offense started off quiet on Saturday, being held scoreless for the first five minutes of the game. Spruill was the only Explorer to score in the first quarter, with all her nine points coming in that frame. The Explorers also had five turnovers, leading to five VCU points in the first quarter, and the Rams led by as much as six.
For La Salle, the first quarter was eerily similar to the last time the Explorers faced VCU on Feb. 1, which ended in a 53-38 Explorers loss — their lowest-scoring game of the season.
This time, however, the Explorers managed to turn it around. Spruill received help in the second quarter, with four more Explorers showing up on the scoresheet. Mia Jacobs added seven points in the second quarter, while her sisters Claire Jacobs and Amy Jacobs added five and three, respectively.
The team collectively improved their shooting percentage from 27.3% in the first quarter to 44.4% in the second quarter, including 42.9% from three.
After trailing for most of the first half, La Salle went into halftime with a 26-20 lead. That’s a place the Explorers like to be, as the team moves to 14-1 this year when leading at the break.
“That was an exhale win for us,” Day said. “And now we can start practicing [a bit] looser as we head into the A-10 tournament.”
Up next
La Salle heads into the postseason, as the Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship kicks off in Wilmington, Del. from March 1-5.