Charlotte 64, La Salle 52

Jan 11, 2006, 09:26 pm

PHILADLEPHIA (AP) -- Leemire Goldwire scored 16 points and

sparked a late second-half outburst in leading Charlotte to a 64-52

victory over La Salle on Wednesday.

Curtis Withers had 13 points and 12 rebounds for Charlotte

(10-5, 3-0 Atlantic 10), which won its fifth straight game. Steven

Smith had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Mike St. John a

season-high 13 rebounds for the Explorers (10-3, 2-1), who

committed 20 turnovers in the game.

The 49ers led 39-38 with 11:24 left to play but went on a 10-2

run capped by 3-point shots by Marcus Bennett and Goldwire. After

La Salle closed to 49-43, Charlotte outscored the Explorers 11-2,

including three treys by Goldwire, to take its biggest lead of the

game, 60-45 with 4:12 remaining.

Darnell Harris made a 55-foot shot at the halftime buzzer to

bring La Salle within 30-25.

Goldwire made his first two free-throw attempts to set a school

record with 39 straight conversions, but missed his final attempt,

leaving him one short of the A10 record set by Donta Bright of

Massachusetts in 1996.