ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – Asianae Johnson's 21 points and Tori Harris' double-double propelled the St. Bonaventure University women's basketball team to a 61-57 victory over La Salle Wednesday at the Reilly Center.
Johnson registered her fifth straight 20-point outing on 7-of-16 shooting from the field and 7-for-8 from the charity stripe. Harris registered her second double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Taylor Napper tallied a career-high 13 points and pulled down five rebounds for the Bonnies.
The Bonnies (10-8, 2-5 A-10) took a 41-36 edge over the Explorers into the final period Wednesday evening.
Following a Tianna Johnson and-one with 8:09 to play in the fourth, the Bonnies led 44-39.
The Explorers used a 6-0 run to take their first lead since the beginning of the third quarter.
La Salle (11-7, 4-2 A-10) grew its lead to six, 51-45, with 5:14 remaining on the clock.
The Bonnies and the Explorers traded baskets over the next three minutes with La Salle holding onto a 57-54 advantage.
Harris drove the lane to make it a one-point game and then I'yanna Lops converted 1-of-2 at the line to tie the game, 57-57, with 1:27 on the clock.
The elder Johnson was fouled on the next Bonnies possession, making one at the line to put the host on top, 58-57.
Harris and the sophomore Johnson made three free throws to ice the game, giving the Bonnies comeback victory.
It was all Bonnies in the first quarter, jumping out to an early 22-13 lead behind eight points in the period from Johnson.
La Salle, however, clawed its way back into the contest in the second quarter.
The Explorers outscored the Bonnies 14-6 in the quarter, using back-to-back baskets from Kayla Spruill to pull within one, 28-27, just before halftime.
The Bonnies are back in action Saturday, Jan. 29 on the road at Fordham. Tip is slated for 2:00 p.m.
GAME NOTES
- The Bonnies finished the night shooting 38.0 percent (19-for-50) from the field and held La Salle to a 32.4 percent (22-for-68) shooting percentage.
- Bona's 22 first quarter points were a season-high in the first period.
- Napper was 4-for-7 from the field and 5-for-6 from the free throw line, surpassing her previous career-high of eight points.
- Johnson has scored 20 or more points in five straight games, including a career-high 28 points at Saint Louis Jan. 19.
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