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La Salle survives late George Washington rally (VIDEO)

giannini

In the Atlantic 10 opener for both La Salle outlasted George Washington 76-72 in Philadelphia and their guards led the way. Sam Mills scored a team-best 17 points, with Tyrone Garland (15) and Tyreek Duren (13) also scoring in double figures for the Explorers, who are looking to capture some of the magic that resulted in a trip to the Sweet 16 last season. La Salle struggled in non-conference play in 2012-13, only to rebound with an 11-5 mark in the Atlantic 10.

Isaiah Armwood led three George Washington players in double figures with 15 points to go along with 12 rebounds, and the Colonials had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds. However Joe McDonald was called for a charge with four seconds remaining, and on the ensuing possession Duren hit two free throws to provide the final margin.

If there’s a concern for La Salle moving forward it’s rebounding, with George Washington rebounding 42.5% of its missed shots on the night. La Salle entered the game eighth in the Atlantic 10 in defensive rebounding percentage, and besides Jerell Wright and Steve Zack there isn’t much depth for Dr. John Giannini to rely on. But that was the case last season, and the Explorers were able to account for this with effort and solid guard play. Can they do it again? Thursday’s victory is a step in the right direction.