Feb 23, 2002
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Rasual Butler had a career-high 44 points and surpassed
the 2,000 career-point mark as La Salle extended its winning streak to four
with a 77-64 victory over Rhode Island.
Butler, who needed 21 to get to 2,000, reached the milestone on a 15-foot
turnaround jumper with 4:10 left in the first half. He now has 2,023 in his
career and is the sixth player in school history to score more than 2,000.
Last year, Butler scored 39 in a double-overtime game at Rhode Island. His
44 points are the most against the Rams since Providence's Jimmy Walker scored
50 in 1966.
Butler was 12-of-20 from the field, including 7-of-11 from beyond the
3-point arc, and 13-of-13 from the foul line. Mike Cleaves added 11 for the
Explorers (13-14, 6-8 Atlantic 10).
Brian Woodward scored a career-high 27 points and Howard Smith had 10 for
the Rams (7-18, 3-11), who have lost five of their last six.
Rhode Island took a 51-50 lead with 12:24 left but then went more than 11
minutes without a field goal. During that stretch, La Salle went on a 23-6 run
to pull ahead by 16 when a dunk by Dwayne Jones made it 73-57 with 1:54 left.
Butler scored 11 points during the spurt.
Butler had 26 of his points in the first half as the Explorers held a
two-point halftime lead.
