Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Maxie Esho recorded a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds to lift the Massachusetts Minutemen to a 71-65 win over the La Salle Explorers in an Atlantic 10 Conference matchup at Tom Gola Arena.

Derrick Gordon provided 13 points for UMass (8-7, 1-1), which also received nine points and five assists courtesy of Trey Davis.

Cleon Roberts spearheaded the charge for La Salle (8-7, 0-2) with 17 points. Steve Zack scored 16 points, Amar Stukes added 13 points and Jordan Price had 12. Jerrell Wright hit on only 1-of-12 shots from the floor for five points, but also racked up 13 boards and five assists.

The Minutemen took a 34-32 lead into the break after they shot an even 50 percent from the floor and limited the hosts to 1-of-6 efficiency from 3-point range in the opening stanza. UMass assisted 12 of its 14 makes from the floor in the first half.

The Explorers' hope of a comeback evaporated as they managed to sink only 37.5 percent of their field goal tries after the intermission. UMass made good on 54.2 percent of its shots from the floor and converted 8-of-11 attempts at the free-throw line over the final 20 minutes of the contest to keep La Salle at bay.

The Minutemen have now won three-straight versus La Salle to take a 17-14 all- time series lead. UMass had lost all four of its previous true road tests before entering Tom Gola Arena.