Feb. 28, 2009

La Salle Explorers vs. Massachusetts Minutemen
Date: Sunday, March 1
Time: 5:00 PM
TV: CBS College Sports
Location: Tom Gola Arena
Game: Conference

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La Salle Explorers (15-12, 6-7) Big 5: 3-1
Conference: Atlantic 10
The La Salle Explorers will open up a two-game homestand on Sunday evening as they prepare to host the Massachusetts Minutemen for the second time this season. With a 70-63 road win over Temple on Thursday, the Explorers are now 3-2 in their last five games and end Big 5 play with a 3-1 record. In the Temple win, junior Rodney Green came off the bench to score a game-high 22 points, on 8-of-12 shooting including 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. He also went on to contribute two more game-highs which included eight assists and five steals. Green, alongside junior Ruben Guillandeaux and sophomores Jerrell Williams and Terrell Williams provided a spark off the bench as the Explorers went on to outscore the Owls in bench points, 37-5. Among the bench production on Thursday night, junior Kimmani Barrett paced all starters in the game with 20 points. The Explorers outrebounded Temple, 42-34, and also had the advantage in fastbreak points, 22-2. In La Salle’s last matchup with UMass back on Jan. 24, Green had a mirror image of his performance this past Thursday as he scored a game-high 22 points. The Explorers’ exceptional perimeter defense only allowed the Minutemen to shoot 3-for-21 from three-point range.

Massachusetts Minutemen (10-16, 5-8)
Conference: Atlantic 10
Since the Explorers last saw them, the Massachusetts Minutemen are 3-6 in conference play. With wins over reigning NCAA Champions No. 25/23 Kansas, Dayton and Temple, the Minutemen have not been able to maintain a .500 record. In a 94-77 home loss to Duquesne on Wednesday, UMass connected on 16 three-pointers on 35 attempts which mark school records in both categories. The Minutemen placed four players in double figures with one recording a double-double, but their production could not negate the Dukes’ scoring as they finished with five players in double-digits with three scoring 17 or more points. Senior Chris Lowe dished out a game-high 11 assists, to go with 12 points, and redshirt sophomore Anthony Gurley led all bench players in the contest with 18 points. Junior Ricky Harris, who is averaging a team-high 18.3 points per game, led all UMass starters with 14 points and sophomore Matt Glass followed up with 12. In addition to allowing Duquesne to shoot 57.1 percent from the floor and 46.2 percent from three, the Minutemen were outscored in the paint, 42-20, and also did not score one second chance point. On the season, Massachusetts is shooting 36.7 percent from beyond the arc and making 8.6 three-pointers per game.

Eye on an Explorer: Kimmani Barrett
In the last two games, junior Kimmani Barrett has scored in double figures which includes his 20-point performance in Thursday’s win over Temple. He is second on the team in scoring at 11.9 points per game and, excluding junior Yves Mekongo Mbala, Barrett is second in rebounds at 5.0 per game. In the Explorers’ 62-54 road win over UMass earlier this season, Barrett scored 11 points, grabbed five boards and recorded a team-high three steals in 32 minutes.

Key Matchup: Paul Johnson vs. Tony Gaffney
With last game’s key matchup taking place in the backcourt with Green and Lowe, Sunday’s square-off will feature La Salle senior Paul Johnson and Massachusetts redshirt senior Tony Gaffney in the frontcourt. Back on Jan. 24, Gaffney tallied team-highs with 19 points and three steals in addition to game-highs of 11 rebounds and four blocks. On the other end, Johnson scored four points in 18 minutes. This matchup won’t be so much about scoring, but rather defense. In the last four games, Johnson has averaged 6.8 rebounds per game, while leading the team in rebounds with seven in Thursday’s win over Temple. Against Duquesne last Sunday, Johnson contributed 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals. Gaffney is averaging a double-double on the season with 12.0 points and 10.4 rebounds. He is also leading the Atlantic 10 in blocks at 4.1 per game.