Jan. 13, 2009

La Salle Explorers vs. Richmond Spiders
Time: 12:00 PM
Location: Tom Gola Arena
Game: Conference

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La Salle Explorers (9-7, 0-1)
Conference: Atlantic 10
The La Salle Explorers get set to host their first conference game on Wednesday at noon against the Richmond Spiders. The Explorers, winners of five in their previous seven, are coming off a road loss to the St. Bonaventure Bonnies in their conference opener on Saturday, 62-57. Senior Margaret Elderton scored a team-high 16 points and pulled down two rebounds. She has now led the team in scoring in three of the past five games which included a 19-point performance in a home win over Rider on Sunday, Dec. 21. Junior Morgan Robertson, who notched her seventh double-double of the season, contributed 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds in Saturday’s loss. Robertson has now tallied eight games with 10 or more rebounds this season. Sophomore Ashley Gale, who scored a team-high 20 points which included the game-winning three-pointer in the 61-58 road victory over Penn last Monday, was the third and final Explorer in double figures on Saturday with 10 points. Gale also added two rebounds and a game-high tying two blocks. Her older sister, Antonia, followed up with eight points, five rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal. Junior Tara Lapetina went 2-for-2 from beyond the arc for six points in addition to two rebounds. She is currently ranked first on the team in three-point percentage (.415) and tied for first in free throw percentage (.917).

Richmond Spiders (13-3, 1-0)
Conference: Atlantic 10
The Richmond Spiders hold the best overall record in the conference and enter this game with wins over No. 25 Wake Forest and George Washington in their last two games. The Spiders handed the Demon Deacons their first loss of the season in a 45-33 home victory last Tuesday. Led by sophomore Brittani Shells’ team-high 11 points, Richmond outscored Wake Forest in the paint, 24-16, and in bench points, 10-3. Richmond also outrebounded Wake Forest, 48-38, while forcing 29 turnovers. Closing out their three-game homestand on Saturday, the Spiders picked up their first conference win of the season after defeating the Colonials, 66-65. Junior Danielle Bell’s basket with 1.5 seconds remaining in regulation was enough to put her team ahead for good. She ended with a game and season-high 19 points, on 7-of-10 shooting, while Shells followed up with 15 points, seven rebounds and a game-high six assists. Richmond forced 20 George Washington turnovers, marking the second-straight game in which they forced at least 20 turnovers. Against the Colonials, Richmond nearly doubled the points off turnovers category, 28-15, and defensively, did not allow any fastbreak points.

Eye on an Explorer: Margaret Elderton
Senior Margaret Elderton has been one of the most dependable players in the Explorer backcourt this season. She is second on the team in scoring (12.1) and fourth in field goal percentage (.387). La Salle is 3-2 when Elderton either leads or ties the team in points.

Key Matchup: Jamie Walsh vs. Johanna McKnight
Junior Jamie Walsh has been a nice compliment in the backcourt starting lineup alongside senior Margaret Elderton this year. Walsh is fourth on the team in scoring (8.4) and is tied for first in free throw percentage (.917). Walsh, the Big 5 Player of the Week from earlier in the season, is first in assists (2.9) and third in three-point percentage (.356). Richmond’s redshirt senior, Johanna McKnight, is second on the team in both points (10.7) and rebounds (5.4). In a 74-49 win at Marshall, she led the team with 14 points and six rebounds. Seven times she has either led or tied the team-high in rebounds.