PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle men's basketball team will play host to Siena on Saturday at 3 PM. Homecoming festivities will take place throughout the day. The game is sold out.
La Salle Explorers (1-1) vs. Siena Saints (0-2)
Saturday, November 16, 2013 | 3 PM | Tom Gola Arena
Live Audio | Live Video ($)
Live Stats | Media Stats | Text Alerts
Live Tweets @ExplorerGameDay
Game Notes
La Salle | Siena
Watch online
Fans can watch the game online for $4.95 through GoExplorers.tv. To watch on a mobile device, search for the Atlantic 10 app on the app store. The app is free.
GameDay Information
- Homecoming information here:
- All fans are invited to try out the refurbished Blue and Gold Commons for dinner. Show your game ticket and eat for $8.
- Fans can purchase SWEET! The Journey of the 2012-13 La Salle Explorers at the bookstore kiosk in the mezzanine or at the ticket office at halftime for $20.
Last Time Out
The Explorers cracked the win column for the first time in their 2013-14 campaign, defeating Quinnipiac 73-67, to even their record at 1-1 on the season. La Salle struggled to find its stroke, shooting 38.5% from the field (25-for-65) and 33% (3-for-9) from 3-PT range. However, the Explorers outlasted Quinnipiac with emphatic improvement on the glass, pulling down 43 rebounds in the contest, becoming the first team the Bobcats had not been able to outrebound in 33 consecutive games.
All-Time Series
La Salle boasts a 5-3 all-time record against Siena, including a 80-52 rout of the Saints last season at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y. The Explorers barraged the Saints with 13 triples, shooting 46.4% (13-for-28) from beyond the arc. Ramon Galloway led the way for the Blue & Gold, netting 22 points, including 6-of-10 from 3-PT range. Tyreek Duren added 13 points (5-of-11 FG, 1-of-5 3-PT) and D.J. Peterson chipped in 11 points (4-of-4 FG, 3-of-3 3-PT), while Tyrone Garland pulled down a team high seven rebounds.
Scouting the Explorers
The backcourt tandem of senior guards Tyrone Garland and Tyreek Duren have led the Explorers through the first two games of the season.
Duren has netted 17 points in each contest, while possessing an impressive 15:3 assist/turnover ratio. His 7.5 assist/game average is tied for 11th in NCAA Division I among qualified players.
Garland poured in a career-high 28 points in the Explorers season opening loss to Manhattan, while chipping in 12 points in the Blue & Gold's victory over Quinnipiac on Tuesday morning. He has been the go-to player in crunch time for the Explorers, nailing two huge three's down the stretch to send the Manhattan game into overtime and netting the final four points to secure the victory against Quinnipiac.
Junior forward Jerrell Wright has led the frontcourt, averaging 13.5 points and eight rebounds per game to begin the season. He collected 11 points and 12 rebounds for his first double-double of the season against Quinnipiac.
Junior center Steve Zack found his scoring touch last time out, knocking down 7-of-11 shots from the field en route to 15 points against the Bobcats. He leads the Explorers shooting 64.3% from the field (9-of-14), while averaging ten points and six rebounds per game.
Scouting the Saints
Siena has dropped its first two matches of the season to Albany and Vermont, entering Saturday's matchup with a 0-2 record. The Saints' Achilles heel has been their defense, particularly in the second half. Opponents have shot 41.7% from both the field (40-of-96) and from beyond the arc (10-of-24). They have been outscored in the second half of games by an 88-to-62 margin.
Junior guard Rob Poole leads Siena on the offensive end. He has averaged 18.5 points per game, including a game-high 22 points (6-of-15 FG, 1-of-3 3-PT, 9-of-10 FT) in Siena's 77-66 loss at Vermont on Tuesday. He is also a presence on the glass for the Saints, averaging 5.5 rebounds per contest, while logging an average of 34 minutes per game.
A trio of freshmen guards, headlined by Maurice White, compliment Poole in the Saints backcourt. White has averaged 12.5 points per game, while shooting lights-out from the charity stripe at an 85% (17-for-20) clip.
Lavon Long has chipped in 11.5 points per contest, including 12 points (3-for-7 FG, 6-for-8 FT), six rebounds and four assists in 28 minutes of action against Vermont.
Marquis Wright is the Saints leading creator, dishing out six assists in each of Siena's first two games, while only turning the ball over six total times. He also has chipped in 5.5 points per game average.
Up Next
The Explorers will hit the road for their first game away from Tom Gola Arena this season. They will take on Penn State on Tuesday November 19, with a 7 PM tip at Bryce Jordan Center. The game will be broadcast online on ESPN3.
