Jan. 19, 2010
La Salle Explorers @ Penn Quakers
Date: Wednesday, January 20
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: The Palestra
Game: Non-conference, Big 5
Radio: WHAT 1340 AM
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La Salle Explorers (9-8) / Conference: Atlantic 10
After just four games into its Atlantic 10 slate, the La Salle Explorers will have a brief respite with non-conference play when they take on the Penn Quakers at the Palestra on Wednesday in their second Big 5 matchup of the season.
The Explorers dropped their first Big 5 game against the Villanova Wildcats back on Nov. 28, but they still have a chance at sharing the city title if they can will their final three games in Big 5 play and if Temple loses just once.
When La Salle takes the floor against its second Ivy League this season, freshman Aaric Murray will be fresh off his second Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week award. In all three games last week, Murray finished with team-highs in points, averaging 19 points along with 9.3 rebounds per game.
The Explorers hope senior Kimmani Barrett will be healthy to return to the lineup after being sidelined the last two games because of a sprain in his right foot. Barrett's production has been missed, since he is second on the team with 13.3 ppg and is the team's most effective three-point shooter.
Penn Quakers (1-11) / Conference: Ivy League
Wednesday night will be the Penn's second of three straight Big 5 affairs. So far in city rival play, the Quakers are 0-2 after losing to Villanova and Temple earlier this season.
Despite returning three of its four top scorers from a season ago, Penn has struggled through non-conference play. Because of a 0-7 start, Penn dismissed Glen Miller from the head coaching position and replaced him with Jerome Allen on an interim basis. Allen played four years as a starter for the Quakers. In his time as a player at Penn, Allen helped lead the Quakers to Ivy League titles in his final three seasons after the team went 14-0 in the conference in all three seasons.
Since taking over, the Quakers are 1-4. Their only win came courtesy of Maryland-Baltimore County back on Jan. 6.
Sophomore Zach Rosen is Penn's leading scorer this season. Through 12 games, he has paced the Quakers with 16.3 ppg. Earlier this season in a game against Lafayette, Rosen dropped a career-high 30 points on the Leopards. In the very next game at UMBC, Rosen followed up his career outing with 28 points to help the Quakers to their only win. Junior Jack Eggleston has been a large contributor for the Quakers as well. With 6.2 rpg, Eggleston is Penn's leading rebounder while being ranked second on the team in scoring with 13 ppg. The junior forward has hauled down 11 boards in three different occasions. In two of those occasions, Eggleston was able to claim a double-double.
Senior Tyler Bernardini, who was Penn's leading scorer a year ago with 13.7 ppg, has played just two games this season due to injury.
Penn has just two non-conference games remaining on its schedule. With being unable to make a significant improvement in non-conference play, Penn will look to have a better second half to its season when it begins Ivy League play with Yale on Jan. 29.
The Series
Since losing six straight years to Penn, the Explorers have won the last two meetings against their city rival, helping them get closer in the all-time series, which Penn leads 38-24 since 1933.
In last season's affair, the Explorers had four of its five starters finish the game with double figures in their scoring totals. Paul Johnson provided 12 points off the bench, as senior Rodney Green led La Salle with 26 points in the team's 79-70 win at Tom Gola Arena. After being down 31-17 at halftime, Penn's Tyler Bernardini led the Quakers with 23 points in the team's 53-point second half effort.
