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Men's Basketball

Explorers Hit The Road, Visit Duquesne On Sunday At 2:30 PM On NBC Sports Network

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The La Salle men's basketball team hits the road for the first time in Atlantic 10 play on Sunday when it visits Duquesne at 2:30 PM. The game will be televised nationally on NBC Sports Network with Steve Schlanger and Blaine Fowler on the call. 

La Salle Explorers (8-6, 1-0 A-10) at Duquesne Dukes (8-5, 1-0 A-10)
Sunday, January 12, 2014 | 2:30 PM | Palumbo Center

TV: NBC Sports Network (Steve Schlanger, Blaine Fowler)
NBCSN Channel Finder | NBC Sports Live Extra video stream (Free) | Live Extra mobile app download
Radio: 990 AM WNTP (Kale Beers, Steve Degler) Audio Stream: Click Here (Free)

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Game Notes
La Salle | Duquesne

Last Time Out
La Salle gutted out a fiercely competitive contest Thursday night, dispatching George Washington 76-72 in the Atlantic 10 conference opener for both teams.  Senior guard Sam Mills led all players with a season high 17 points (6-of-8 FG; 5-of-7 3-PT), knocking down five triples. Tyrone Garland added 15 points (5-of-11 FG; 1-of-4 3-PT; 4-of-8 FT) and three assists, while Tyreek Duren added 13 points (4-of-12 FG; 2-of-7 3-PT; 3-of-4 FT) and a game high five assists.

"It was just a great game, both teams played their hearts out," head coach Dr. John Giannini said. "Everyone we put in the game contributed with great effort and positive input."
 
All-Time Series
La Salle leads the all-time series, 38-30 and has won the last two meetings. Last year's 33-point Explorer victory was the largest in the series history. The Blue and Gold have won four of the past five games in Pittsburgh. 

Coach's Corner
Head Coach Dr. John Giannini 

Because of what we've done in the non-confernece no one considers us a contender anymore. And now we have to prove our selves. That was our message [going into the GW game.]

For the first ten games it was like we lost Ramon and Tyreek. I think its as simple as that...

Scouting the Explorers 
La Salle will look to start 2-0 in the Atlantic 10 when it visits the Dukes. The Explorers appear to have hit their stride as their talented senior guards have started to find their stroke from behind the arc. Mills, who was Thursday's hero with a game-high 17 points and game-saving defensive charge with two seconds left, has made 12-for-22 (.545) from three-point range in his past four contests. He is now seventh in the A-10 in three-point shooting at .429.

Tyreek Duren, finally healthy after dealing with a foot injury for much of the early going, leads the Atlantic 10 in assist to turnover and has committed just two turnovers in his last four games. He has an 8:1 assist/turnover ratio during that span. Tyrone Garland added 15 points in the win over GW and leads the team in scoring at 13.9 ppg. 

La Salle has connected on 33 three-pointers in the past four contests and are 3-1 during that span as opposed to only 32 three's in the previous seven games (3-4 record). In addition, the Explorers have shot at least 38% from three point distance in the past four games after not hitting anywhere near that mark in the previous 10 contests.

The Blue and Gold have won its last 17 games when connecting on at least nine three-pointers in a game.

Scouting the Dukes
Duquesne is 8-5 and started 1-0 in the A-10 with a 87-81 win over Fordham on Wednesday. Ovie Soko leads the team in scoring at 18.9 ppg. followed by Tra'Vaughn White (12.8 ppg.) and Dominique McKoy (10.2 ppg., 7.2 rpg.). The Dukes are the A-10 leaders in ppg. as a team with 79.8. This is the first of two meetings between the two schools this season. 

Duquesne is led by second year head coach Jim Ferry, who led LIU Brooklyn to success in the Northeast Conference. DU has already matched its win total (overall, and in conference) from a year ago.
Up Next
La Salle returns to Philadelphia for two games next week. On Wednesday, LU hosts Rhode Island at 7 PM at Tom Gola Arena before stepping out of A-10 play for the last time on Saturday against Temple at the Palestra at noon. That game will be preceded by ESPN GameDay, which begins at 10 AM. Doors open at 8 AM and there will be live SportsCenter hits at 9 AM. 
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