NIT First Round
#6 Minnesota Golden Gophers at #3 La Salle Explorers
Date: Wednesday, March 14
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Tom Gola Arena
Radio: WNTP 990 AM
TV: ESPN2 (pbp: John Saunders, color: Stephen Bardo)

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A pre-game block party will be held outside Gola Arena for all students, fans, alumni, and friends of La Salle basketball from 5-7 PM. There will be free food and soda and appearances by the Explorer mascot and cheerleaders.

PHILADELPHIA – The postseason will come to Gola Arena on Wednesday night when the Minnesota Golden Gophers take on La Salle in the first round of the NIT at 7 PM. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 with John Saunders and Stephen Bardo on the call.

Scouting the Explorers (21-12)

The Explorers return to the postseason by hosting the sixth-seeded Golden Gophers on Wednesday. La Salle was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament by Saint Louis, 78-71, on Friday in Atlantic City. SLU was one of four teams to reach the NCAA Tournament from the Atlantic 10, joining league champion St. Bonaventure, Temple and Xavier. Four more teams (La Salle, Saint Joseph's, Massachusetts and Dayton) were selected for the NIT.

“We think the NIT is a big deal,” head coach Dr. John Giannini said. “We know this is high-level basketball. We're more than excited and we're playing a great program. It's a great opportunity for us.”

This year marks the 60^th anniversary of La Salle's 1952 NIT Championship and the 25^th anniversary of reaching the NIT Championship game in 1987. Overall, it is the 75^th NIT which began in 1938.

Senior Earl Pettis, who had a team-high 18 points on Friday, continues to lead the team in scoring at 15.2 ppg. He is followed by Ramon Galloway, who adds 14.2 and is 10 points away from reaching 1,000 in his collegiate career at South Carolina and La Salle.

Sophomores Tyreek Duren (13.5 ppg.) and Sam Mills (10.7) round out the double-figure scorers while freshman Jerrell Wright scores 9.8 ppg. and grabs a team-high 5.6 rpg.

Freshman D.J. Peterson grew up 20 minutes from the University of Minnesota and grew up a Golden Gophers fan. His sister runs track at UM. Peterson was also a high school teammate of Joe Coleman and an AAU teammate of Rodney Williams.

Another connection is with Giannini and color analyst Stephen Bardo. Giannini was a graduate assistant at Illinois from 1987-89 while Bardo was a player.

The Explorers remain seventh in the nation in three-point percentage at 40.4%. LU is also 14-2 at home this season and has not lost a non-conference home game in its last 10 tries.

Scouting the Golden Gophers (19-14)

Minnesota comes into the game with a 19-14 record and a 6-12 mark in the Big Ten. Rodney Williams leads the team in scoring at 11.2 ppg., while Julian Welch adds 10.1 ppg. Ralph Sampson III (7.9 ppg.) missed the last two games but is expected back vs. La Salle. Trevor Mbakwe averaged 14.0 ppg. and 9.1 rpg. through seven games before tearing his ACL.

Series History

La Salle and Minnesota have met just once on the hardwood with the #9 ranked Golden Gophers taking a 92-87 win in the Quaker City Tournament at the Palestra on December 30, 1965. La Salle is 9-10 all-time against teams currently in the Big Ten.

Hubie Marshall scored 21 points and dished nine assists in that game for La Salle while future head coach Lefty Ervin scored 16 points. 

Next up:

The winner of the La Salle-Minnesota will take on the winner of #2 Miami vs. #7 Valparasio. Date, time and television will be announced at a later date.