LaSalle jumped out to an 11-2 lead and never looked back, as the Minutemen find themselves in their biggest hole of the season at halftime. Ramon Galloway led the way for the Explorers with 14 points and three rebound,s as the Minutemen struggled to slow down the four-guard LaSalle system.
Sophomore guard Jesse Morgan led UMass with 11 points, two rebounds and a steal. Chaz Williams was the only other Minutemen with more than four points, as the sophomore recorded eight points and four turnovers in the half.
LaSalle dominated every statistical category in the first half, including hitting 17-of-30 shots (57 percent). The Minutemen hit just 39 percent (9-23) of their shots and turned the ball over 16 times in the first stanza. The home team even added 15 assists and pulled down four more rebounds (18-14) than the Minutemen.