Dec. 5, 2008
La Salle @ Hartford
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion
Game: Non-Conference
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La Salle Explorers (3-3)
Conference: Atlantic 10
The La Salle Explorers look to extend their winning-streak to three games as they travel to Connecticut to take on the Hartford Hawks on Saturday. After winning their final matchup in the Paradise Jam – a 75-70 overtime victory over Valparaiso – the Explorers returned home for the first time in two weeks and edged past the Bucknell Bison, 68-65, on Tuesday, Dec. 2. Junior Kimmani Barrett poured in a team-high 15 points, on 5-of-12 shooting, and was one of four Explorers to pull down six boards. Barrett is second on the team in scoring (12.3 ppg) on 46.8 percent field-goal shooting. Junior Rodney Green was the second Explorer in double figures, finishing with 11 points while grabbing six rebounds, dishing out a team-high five assists and contributing two of his team’s three steals on the evening. Junior Vernon Goodridge, who has led the team in rebounds once and tied the team-high twice this season, tallied a team-high eight boards, blocked a game-high three shots and went 3-for-5 from the floor for seven points. In 20.5 minutes per game, Goodridge is averaging 6.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
Hartford Hawks (3-5)
Conference: America East
The Hartford Hawks enter Saturday’s matchup with La Salle after winning two of their last three contests. Despite standing at two games under .500, two of Hartford’s five losses came at the hands of UConn, who defeated the Explorers at the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands, and Penn State. On Thursday, the Hawks moved to 2-1 at home after defeating Lafayette, 97-82. After tying a game-high with 26 points, senior Michael Turner was named Nestle PurinaONE America East Player of the Game. Turner also attributed a game-high tying six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals. Turner is third on the team in scoring (11.0 ppg) and is shooting a team-best 60.0 percent from beyond the arc. Senior Jaret von Rosenberg added 15 points, on 3-of-9 shooting including two three-pointers, six rebounds and two assists. He has tallied 31 assists, which is more than any other Hartford player, and is second in scoring at 12.1 per game. The win on Thursday marked the 300th victory for the school since moving to the Division I level in 1984-85.
Eye on an Explorer: Yves Mekongo Mbala
In the 68-65 Bucknell victory, junior Yves Mekongo Mbala garnered seven points, on 3-of-7 shooting, and six rebounds. Mekongo Mbala has led the team in scoring and rebounds once and tied for the team-high in rebounds one other time. He is one of three Explorers to average double-digits in scoring (11.3 ppg) and is tied with Goodridge to lead all Explorers with 6.5 rebounds per contest. Mekongo Mbala is shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 87.5 percent from the charity stripe.
Key Matchup: Ruben Guillandeaux vs. Joe Zeglinski
Three of junior Ruben Guillandeaux’s seven points against Bucknell came from beyond the arc which kept him around his season average of 7.5 points per game. The La Salle guard is shooting 33.3 percent from the perimeter this season. Junior Joe Zeglinski tied a game-high with Turner on Thursday after scoring 26 points in a 97-82 victory over Lafayette. Zeglinski went 8-for-10 from the field which included four three-pointers on five attempts. At only 6-0, Zeglinski leads the team in both scoring (15.9 ppg) and rebounds (5.9 rpg). He is shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 38.4 percent from three-point range.
