La Salle Holds Off LIU, 88-80
La Salle erased a two-point deficit with a 10-0 second-half run to beat LIU on Saturday.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Basketball
La Salle defeated LIU 88-80 on Saturday, with Anthony Finkley scoring 19 points and Rob Dockery adding 18. The Explorers pulled away after a 10-0 second-half run that gave them a 65-57 lead with 9:23 remaining.
Why it matters
The win moves La Salle to 1-1 on the season while LIU drops to 0-3, giving the Explorers an early footing in a young campaign. For Philadelphia basketball fans, it is the team's second game of the year and a sign of how its rotation is shaping up.
Dockery shot 6 of 14 from the field and 1 of 4 from three-point range while adding six rebounds and seven assists, and Devin Booker hit 3 of 5 threes on the way to 13 points. Ryan Bewley recorded eight rebounds and three blocks for LIU, which led with 15 points from Daquan Davis.
The players
La Salle Explorers
La Salle is a Philadelphia-based NCAA Division I men's basketball program that competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
LIU Sharks
LIU is a Brooklyn-based NCAA Division I men's basketball program that competes in the Northeast Conference.
Anthony Finkley
Finkley is a La Salle guard who led the Explorers in scoring with 19 points and three steals in the win.
Rob Dockery
Dockery is a La Salle guard who scored 18 points and contributed six rebounds and seven assists.
Daquan Davis
Davis is a LIU guard who led his team with 15 points and two steals in the loss.
The details
La Salle trailed by two at the half before taking control with a 10-0 run after the break. Finkley also recorded three steals, and Joshua Skinner added 12 points and six rebounds for LIU in the loss.
Timeline
Saturday: La Salle defeats LIU 88-80.
Monday: LIU visits Towson.
Tuesday: La Salle plays Villanova on the road.
Season Trajectory
The win gives La Salle a 1-1 start to a season in which early results often set the tone for conference positioning. LIU, now 0-3, faces a steeper climb as the Northeast Conference season approaches.
La Salle's 1-1 start means the Explorers are still settling into their rotation, so fans tracking the roster should watch Dockery's and Booker's minutes in upcoming games. The Tuesday trip to Villanova will show how the team handles a higher-level road test.
The takeaway
Early-season wins build momentum, but how a team responds after a late run in its second game often predicts its consistency. Watch whether La Salle keeps its second-half pace against Villanova.
What happens next
La Salle plays Villanova on the road on Tuesday, and LIU visits Towson on Monday.
Further reading
For more on the local game, see Philadelphia Basketball coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Lethbridge Herald - News and Sports from around Lethbridge.
