PHILADELPHIA – Four players scored in double figures and senior forward Gerrale Gates finished with a double-double, but the Holy Cross men's basketball team fell to La Salle, 84-65, on Saturday, Dec. 4 at Tom Gola Arena.

Gates had 12 rebounds to go with 10 points to lead the Crusaders (2-7). Sophomore R.J. Johnson, sophomore Judson Martindale and freshman Kyrell Luc had 10 points each. Josh Nickelberry had a career-high 28 points to lead the Explorers (3-4).

La Salle jumped out to a 9-0 lead before the Crusaders made a field goal; sophomore guard DáJion Humphrey put Holy Cross on the board with a 3-pointer with 15:03 left in the first half.

The Crusaders chipped away at the deficit, tying the game at 17-17 after Luc made three free throws with 10:19 to go in the first half. Holy Cross eventually took its first lead of the contest after senior Malcolm Townsel hit a three, putting the Crusaders ahead 22-19 with 9:21 to go in the first.

Holy Cross' lead grew no higher than three points, however. With the game tied at 37 points apiece at halftime, La Salle opened the second half on a 16-7 run to build a nine-point advantage, 53-44, with 13:40 left.

The Crusaders continued to hang around, with a pull-up shot by Johnson cutting the deficit to two, 60-58, with 8:07 to go.

La Salle scored 15 of the next 17 points in the game, though, outscoring Holy Cross 25-7 over the final eight minutes of the contest.

Holy Cross returns to action on Wednesday, Dec. 8 at Fairfield, with tipoff set for 7 p.m.