Men's Basketball | June 1, 2017

PHILADELPHIA - La Salle University head men's basketball coach Dr. John Giannini announced his team's 2017-18 non-conference schedule on Thursday. The Explorers will participate in a pair of Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame events, including a trip to Northern Ireland for the Belfast Classic. Another marquee event, the Naismith Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament, will take place in Uncasville, Conn., at Mohegan Sun Arena.

"Our schedule provides constant challenges," Giannini said. "We have 18 Atlantic 10 games, three non-conference Big 5 games and three "Power 5" opponents. The Bucknell game on the road is against an NCAA Tournament team returning all five starters."

"Twenty-five of our 31 games are against major college competition, Big 5 rivals and NCAA Tournament teams," Giannini continues. "That is not including opponents like Mercer and Towson, among others, who will be top teams in their conferences. We want to challenge ourselves, better ourselves, and gain quality wins to enhance postseason possibilities."

Over the past five years, La Salle's non-conference RPI ranks second in the Atlantic 10 behind only VCU, and last season was in the nation's top 50 at 48th overall. Three of this year's non-league opponents finished last season in the RPI's Top 50 (Villanova (3), Miami (44), Northwestern (48)), and six closed in the Top 100 (Bucknell (66), Towson (94), Saint Peter's (95)).

As part of the Naismith Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament, La Salle will host a pair of opponents in the on-campus portion of the event – the home opener against Saint Peter's on Saturday, Nov. 11, and a mid-week contest against South Alabama on Thursday, Nov. 16.

Between those two games, the Explorers, who return four starters from last year's team led by leading scorer B.J. Johnson, will begin Big 5 play on the road against Penn on Nov. 13. The Quakers advanced to last season's Ivy League Tournament final and are set to return four starters from last year's team.

Following the home game against the South Alabama, La Salle will tangle with Northwestern on Saturday, Nov. 18, in the opening round of the Tip-Off Tournament at Mohegan Sun Arena. The Wildcats, who are ranked 21^st in Jon Rothstein's FanRagSports.com Preseason Poll, earned their first-ever bid into the NCAA Tournament in 2016-17 and welcome back all three of their top scorers from that team.

Two more Power 5 teams – Boston College and Texas Tech – round out the field in Connecticut, with the Explorers taking on one of those teams on the second day of the Tip-Off Tournament on Nov. 19.

A third straight game against a major conference opponent will take place at a neutral site in Reading, Pa., on Wednesday, Nov. 22. The opponent will be the Miami Hurricanes, who are No. 16 in the FanRagSports.com Preseason Poll and won 21 games a season ago to earn an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament.

Big 5 play continues four days later when Temple comes to TruMark Financial Center at Tom Gola Arena for a post-Thanksgiving break contest on Nov. 26. The game against the Owls leads into a trip to Northern Ireland for the Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic on Dec. 1-2.

La Salle will take part in the first sanctioned college basketball tournament ever played on the Emerald Isle, and tangles with Towson in the opening game of the event. Manhattan and Holy Cross are the other two teams that will make the trip across the Atlantic Ocean.

A pair of local rivals dot the schedule next, as Drexel comes to Tom Gola Arena on Thursday, Dec. 7 and a matchup with Big 5 opponent Villanova follows on Sunday, Dec. 10. The game against the Wildcats, the reigning Big East regular season and tournament champions who are ranked No. 5 in the FanRagSports.com Preseason Poll, will be held at the Wells Fargo Center, home of the Philadelphia 76ers.

The final home game of the non-league season against Mercer will take place on Sunday, Dec. 17, before the Explorers conclude preparation for Atlantic 10 play with a matchup against defending Patriot League champion Bucknell on Friday, Dec. 22.

Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 215-951-1678 or by emailing tickets@lasalle.edu. Additionally, tickets are available for the two Hall of Fame events in Northern Ireland and Uncasville, Conn. Information on both events are available via the links above.