Charlotte, NC - The La Salle University Explorers (9-13, 2-6) made their first trip to Charlotte and dropped an 87-80 decision after squandering a 14-point second-half lead on Wednesday night at Halton Arena.

The Explorers trailed after DeAngelo Alexander hit a three-pointer on the game's first possession but the Explorers answered with eight straight points, including a Darnell Harris (Baltimore, MD/St. Frances) three-pointer which put the Explorers on top and vaulted the junior over the 1000-point mark for career points.

The Explorers would build as much as an 11-point lead in the first half and take 42-37 lead into the locker room after twenty minutes.

The Explorers would expand that lead to 14 points in the second half when Harris hit a baseline jumper with 9:51 to play to give his team a 65-51 lead.

Over the next six minutes the 49ers cut into the lead with full-court pressure and second-chance buckets - they had 15 offensive rebounds - to cut the lead to 75-73 when EJ Drayton tipped in Carlos Williams' miss with 3.14 to play.

At the 3:42 mark, with the Explorers lead cut to six points at 75-69, freshman Ruben Guillandeaux (Brooklyn, NY/St. Patrick) was called for a technical foul after being warned by the officials for scuffling with Charlotte's Carlos Williams on the inbounds. Leemire Goldwire hit both free throws and EJ Drayton tipped in a missed jumper to cut the lead to 75-73.

After an Explorer turnover on the next possession Goldwire capitalized on another offensive rebound with a three-pointer to put the 49ers on top at 76-75.

The 49ers went eight for eight down the stretch and made their last 21 free throws over the final 10.29 of the game to put the win away.

The Explorers will return to Atlantic 10 and Big 5 action on Sunday afternoon when they play Temple at noon on Sunday at the Liacouras Center.