Loyola Chicago (10-5, 1-1 Atlantic-10) handed La Salle (8-7, 0-2 A-10) its first loss at the John Glaser Arena Wednesday night, 79-68. The Ramblers led by as many as 14 points and held the lead for 34 minutes and 42 seconds.
Graduate guard Corey McKeithan led the Explorers with 24 points, his sixth game of 20 points or more points this season.
The Explorers have lost five of their last seven, with wins against Fairleigh Dickinson and Division III Immaculata.
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Loyola’s Jayden Dawson recorded 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Sheldon Edwards Jr. added 20 points and shot 4-of-7 from three.
McKeith-’em coming
McKeithan opened A-10 play with a 19-point performance in the Explorers’ 84-70 loss at Dayton on New Year’s Eve. McKeithan’s 24 points Wednesday night fell short of his career-high 28-point outing in the Explorers’ 83-75 win over Temple on Nov. 30.
“[McKeithan] made some tough shots tonight,” La Salle coach Fran Dunphy said. “I would like to see him hold on to the ball a little bit longer on a couple plays he made. For the most part, he’s done very well for us.”
However, McKeithan’s individual scoring success does not always translate to wins. The Explorers are 3-3 in games where McKeithan scores more than 20 points.
Supporting scoring
La Salle’s Jahlil White and Eric Acker were the only other Explorers to reach double-figures. White finished with 15 points, three rebounds, and two assists.
Acker finished with 14 points in his first start for the Explorers after missing the first 10 games of the season. The Long Island transfer has scored 10 or more points in four of the five games he’s played this season. He shot 6-of-9 from the field and recorded four assists against the Ramblers.
“Overall, [Acker] is really getting better,” Dunphy said. “I think those three guards, when they’re on their stuff and focused, we’re hard to play against. We weren’t that hard to play against tonight.”
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Up next
La Salle travels to St. Bonaventure (14-1, 2-1) on Saturday (noon, ESPN+). The Bonnies were winners of eight straight games before losing 73-68 at Saint Louis Wednesday night.
. The Explorers will return to Glaser Arena for a midweek contest with Davidson on Jan. 15 (6:30 p.m., ESPN+).