Barrett threes up La Salle's win over Hartford

Every player has a spot on the court where he feels most comfortable making shots.

For La Salle's Kammani Barrett, that spot is the right wing - behind the three-point line.

Barrett knocked down a career-high five three-pointers, scored a career-best 25 points and helped the Explorers overcome injuries, suspensions and sickness in a 75-62 win over Hartford yesterday afternoon in front of 1,782 fans at Tom Gola Arena.

"[The right wing] is my favorite spot on the court," said the senior guard, who missed just two of his seven attempts from three-point range.

La Salle (5-2) was already without the services of Ruben Guillandeaux, who suffered a stress fracture in his right foot during the Charleston Classic and is out indefinitely. But when Jerrell and Terrell Williams were suspended for violating unspecified team rules, the Explorers were forced to dress just eight scholarship players, one of whom, leading scorer Rodney Green, was feeling under the weather.

"I came into this game scared to death," said La Salle coach John Giannini. "We survived today against a dangerous team."

Survival was about the only way to describe it. La Salle turned the ball over 19 times, but was able to withstand its myriad of miscues by making a season-high 11 threes against the Hawks' zone defense. The Explorers, who have won three straight, have drained 20 threes in their last two games.

"We're a little ugly at times," Giannini said. "We were way under 100 percent and we gutted it out."

Green certainly did, supporting Barrett's career day with 13 points of his own in 30 minutes. Aaric Murray had 12, and Yves Mekongo added 10.

La Salle shot 45.5 percent from the field and outrebounded Hartford (2-7), 43-24.

Former walk-on Steve Weingarten stepped up in place of the Williams twins, scoring seven points and grabbing eight rebounds in 36 minutes. It was the junior's three that sparked a 12-2 run that gave the Explorers a 37-26 lead at the half.

La Salle then proceeded to score 16 of the second half's first 20 points for its largest lead of 23. And it was Weingarten helping provide the big blow, feeding Murray for an alley-oop jam that made it 48-30 with 16:54 remaining.

The winded and wounded Explorers won't play their next game until Wednesday, when they head to Rider - and they could use the rest.