Feb. 13, 2010
La Salle Explorers @ Duquesne Dukes
Date: Sunday, February 14, 2010
Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
Location: Palumbo Center (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Game: Atlantic 10 Conference
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La Salle Explorers (11-12, 3-6) / Conference: Atlantic 10
After having a week off, the Explorers return to action on Sunday when they take on the Duquesne Dukes in Pittsburgh, Pa. The Explorers currently sit in eighth place of the Atlantic 10, which at this moment would secure them a first round home game in the conference tournament. Considering that every team below them in the standings is within reach with a relatively similar record, each game the rest of the way will have a major impact in where the Explorers begin the A-10 Championship.
Now well-rested, Sunday begins La Salle’s last stretch in which it’ll play two straight road games.
With two very productive seniors out due to injury, junior Jerrell Williams has recently become a pivotal scoring threat for the Explorers. In three of his last four games, Williams has contributed with 13.8 ppg. In La Salle’s latest game, Williams dished out a team-high 21 points against the Saint Louis Bilikens. Williams has shown he is a committed offensive player. The junior forward leads the team in offensive rebounding, while being the second leading rebounder on the team with 6.4 boards a game. If the Explorers are going to make a deep run in the postseason, Williams is going to have a lot to do with it.
Freshmen Parrish Grant and T.T. Carey have seen an increase in their playing time recently. Carey, who saw only 15 total minutes of playing time up until four games ago, has seen the floor for an average of 8.5 mpg of the last four games. Grant has seen significant time and has made the most of his minutes with forcing seven steals and dishing out 22 assists.
Duquesne Dukes (12-12, 3-7) / Conference: Atlantic 10
On Sunday, the Dukes will play their second straight game at the Palumbo Center when they host the La Salle Explorers. Duquesne is coming off its sixth overtime game this season, which is a school record. Three of those six games have been double overtime affairs.
Junior Damian Saunders is Duquesne’s leading scorer and rebounder with 12.2 rpg. Nine times already this season, Saunders has been the team’s leading scorer. Last Saturday at George Washington, he compiled a career-high 27 points. Saunders opened the season with six straight games in which his point and rebound totals yielded him to a double-double. From Dec. 12 through Jan 20, Saunders went nine straight games in which he claimed a double-double. For the year, he has 17 double-doubles and has come close to a triple-double two times this season. With 2.8 steals a game, Saunders currently owns the program’s record for that category. To date, Saunders is in the nation’s top 10 in rebounds, steals and blocks.
Complimenting Saunders is sophomore B.J. Monteiro. As Duquesne’s top three-point shooter, he has led the team in scoring five times this season. Along with his .333 three-point shooting percentage, Monteiro is averaging 10.7 ppg.
The Series
La Salle has the edge in the all-time series with Duquesne, winning in 36 of the 64 meetings.
The Explorers have not lost at Duquesne since head coach Dr. John Giannini’s first season. Since that time, the Explorers are 3-1 when they play the Dukes in Pittsburgh.
On a similar token, Duquesne head coach Ron Everhart is 3-3 against the Explorers. Since taking over the Dukes, neither team has defeated the other on its home court.
A year after the Explorers defeated the Dukes twice in one season, including a conference tournament matchup, Duquesne unleashed its revenge last season. The Dukes defeated the Explorers at Tom Gola Arena, 79-68. Senior Rodney Green led La Salle with 14 points and was one of three Explorers to be in double-figures. Duquesne was led by Aaron Jackson’s 25 points and Saunders’ 22 points.
