Feb 9, 2002

Box Score |  Notes

AMHERST, Mass. (AP) - Shannon Crooks scored a game-high 15 points and Massachusetts used two strong second-half runs Saturday night to pull away for a 62-47 victory over La Salle.

The Minutemen (10-11, 4-6 Atlantic 10) led 20-18 at halftime but opened the second half with a 14-2 run.

After La Salle (9-14, 2-8) pulled within five, UMass went on a 14-3 run.

Kitwana Rhymer had 12 for UMass, all in the second half, Anthony Anderson added 11 and Micah Brand finished with 10.

La Salle, which was held to 31 percent shooting, was led by Reggie Okosa with 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

Massachusetts, which shot 8-for-26 in the first half and went more than 11 minutes without scoring at one point, led by five points twice in the first half. La Salle tied it at 16-16 on a basket by Jeff Farmer, but Crooks converted a steal to put the Minutemen up by two.

After Rasual Butler got the Explorers even again, Raheim Lamb gave UMass its two-point halftime lead.

The Minutemen outscored the Explorers in the paint, 27-13. La Salle was just 2-of-6 from the foul line in the game.