PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- La Salle took advantage of an uncharacteristically poor Cornell shooting night and raced to 3-0 on the season with a 93-77 victory on Tuesday evening at John Glaser Arena. The Big Red fell to 2-1 with the loss.

Cornell made just 5-of-27 shots from beyond the 3-point arc, including 3-of-17 in the decisive first half, and coughed the ball up 14 times - a number that La Salle took advantage with a 24-9 edge in points off turnovers. 

AK Okereke scored 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while Jacob Beccles scored 13 points with four assists and three rebounds while connecting on 6-of-7 shots. Cooper Noard rounded out the double figure scorers with 10. Nazir Williams and DJ Nix each scored eight points and Guy Ragland Jr. posted a game-high eight rebounds. 

Five La Salle players reached double figures with Corey McKeithan pacing the squad with 25 points. Demetrius Lilley added 16 points and seven rebounds, Deuce Jones scored 15 with eight boards and four assists, Tunde Vahlberg Fasasi netted 11 and Daeshon Shepherd scored 10 points. The Explorers shot 51 percent from the floor and held a 39-30 edge on the glass.
 
FIRST HALF
• The first half featured six ties and 15 lead changes with the Explorers riding a late wave of Big Red mistakes into a 47-39 lead at the break. 
• Cornell turned it over eight times in the first 20 minutes with La Salle taking advantage with a 17-5 edge in points off the miscues. 
• Noard had eight points at the break and both Kiachian and Beccles scored seven, but the Big Red made just 3-of-17 shots from beyond the arc. 
• The Explorers shot 49 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes with Lilley (11) and Jones (10) both in double figures.
• Jones added five rebounds, three assists and two steals at the break.

SECOND HALF
• La Salle started second half on a 9-0 run to take the lead to 17 (56-39) before Williams drained a deep 3-pointer and the Big Red called a timeout with 16:47 to play.
• Beccles got the Big Red running, and after an offensive putback, his fastbreak layup cut La Salle's advantage to 63-51 with 13:41 remaining.
• Cornell was never able to get the lead to single digits and fell behind by as many as 20 points before time ran out on the visitors.

NOTES
• The 16-point defeat was the Big Red's worst loss since a 19-point defeat (98-79) at Baylor on Jan. 2, 2024 in Waco, Texas.
• Sophomore Jacob Beccles' four assists and three rebounds were both career highs, while his 13 points were two off a personal best.
• Cornell has now hit a 3-pointer in 975 consecutive games dating back to a contest against Denison in the 1988-89 season opener (0-for-2). 

UP NEXT
• Cornell returns home to face Patriot League rival Lafayette on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 12 p.m. at Newman Arena.
• The contest will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
• The Big Red leads the all-time series 14-12 and has won three straight contests between the teams, including a 79-71 victory on Dec. 2, 2023 in Easton, Pa.
• Cornell is riding a seven-game win streak over Patriot League opponents.