PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — In a game defined more by grit than grace, the La Salle Explorers leaned on a dominant performance from Rob Dockery and a decisive advantage at the free-throw line to grind out a 59-46 victory over the Rhode Island Rams in an Atlantic 10 Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Tom Gola Arena.

The contest, a rematch of a La Salle win on Jan. 7, never approached aesthetic heights. Both teams struggled profoundly from the field, with Rhode Island shooting a frigid 29% and La Salle only marginally better at 31%. The difference was stark at the charity stripe, where the Explorers attempted 31 free throws, making 21, while the Rams went 12 for 20.

The most important part of the game was La Salle’s ability to control the interior and capitalize on Rhode Island’s offensive ineptitude. Despite their own shooting woes, the Explorers parlayed 14 offensive rebounds and 13 Rhode Island turnovers into extra opportunities, slowly building a lead that the Rams, who made just 2 of 18 three-point attempts, could never threaten.

La Salle improved to 8-19 overall. Rhode Island fell to 15-12.

Rob Dockery, a 6-foot-6 guard from Washington, D.C., was the engine for La Salle. He played 27 minutes and compiled a formidable double-double of 19 points and 15 rebounds, consistently drawing fouls and going 11 for 16 from the free-throw line. His work on the glass was pivotal, helping La Salle to a 44-38 overall rebounding edge.

He was complemented by Ashton Walker of Virginia Beach, Virginia, who added 18 points and 10 rebounds. Nas Hart of Trenton, New Jersey, controlled the paint defensively with 11 rebounds and five points.

Rhode Island’s effort was led by Myles Corey of Ontario, California, who scored 14 points with eight rebounds and two blocks. Keeyan Itejere of Knightdale, North Carolina, just missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. The Rams’ offense, however, never found rhythm, managing only five assists against eight turnovers and posting an offensive rating of just 73.6 points per 100 possessions.

The game’s tempo was set early in a disjointed first half featuring more turnovers and fouls than baskets. La Salle led 39-23 at halftime, a margin built largely at the free-throw line where they held a 16-5 attempt advantage in the period. Rhode Island’s offensive struggles were encapsulated by a stretch of over seven minutes without a field goal.

The Rams showed brief life early in the second half, but any momentum was quickly stifled. A three-pointer from Walker at the 16:16 mark pushed La Salle’s lead to 45-29, and Rhode Island never got closer than 13 points the rest of the way. The Explorers maintained their physical edge, and the Rams continued to misfire, sealing the outcome long before the final buzzer.

The result defied pregame projections, as Rhode Island had been favored by 4.5 points. The combined score of 105 points fell far under the over/under line of 134.5, underscoring the defensive, often messy, nature of the contest.

Rhode Island looks to rebound when it visits Saint Bonaventure on Wednesday. La Salle returns to action at home against George Washington on Tuesday.