Men's Basketball Comes Up Short at La Salle, 72-66

Saturday, March 2

Philadelphia, PA

2 p.m.

George Washington University

14-15,3-13Atlantic 10

La Salle

15-15,6-11Atlantic 10

George Washington

La Salle

3/2/2024 4:35:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - GW men's basketball erased a 13-point deficit to take a second-half lead on the road at La Salle, but went cold down the stretch as the Explorers pulled out a 72-66 win in the final game ever played at Tom Gola Arena.

GW found itself down 38-25 late in the first half, but finished with five straight points to seemingly swing the momentum and cut the deficit to eight at intermission.

The Revolutionaries then came out of the locker room firing, hitting seven of their first 11 shots in the second half, accented by consecutive 3-pointers from James Bishop IV to assume the lead, 48-46, with 13:55 left. A back-and-forth affair then followed with neither team leading by more than a possession until a Khalil Brantley pull-up gave La Salle a 60-56 lead with less than eight minutes left.

Bishop drew GW within two on a jumper with 6:51 remaining, but the Buff & Blue would go on to miss their next eight shots before a layup from Bishop with 12 seconds left. By that point, La Salle had put the game away thanks in part to a put-back dunk from Daeshon Shepherd in the final minute that gave the Explorers their largest lead of the second half.

Darren Buchanan Jr. led the Revolutionaries with his second straight 21-point effort, adding six rebounds and two assists. Bishop tallied 18 points and Jacoi Hutchinson provided 15 points and four rebounds. GW was without the services of Maximus Edwards, Garrett Johnson and Antoine Smith Jr. in the game due to various ailments.

The Buff & Blue will now return home for a Senior Night celebration on Wednesday when they host St. Bonaventure. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN+ with pregame festivities honoring Babatunde Akingbola, Bishop and Antoine Smith taking place at approximately 6:45 p.m.