Men's Basketball | January 5, 2015

PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle men's basketball team returns to Tom Gola Arena on Wednesday night as it hosts the Massachusetts Minutemen at 7 p.m.

UMass Minutemen (7-7, 0-1 A-10) at La Salle Explorers (8-6, 0-1 A-10) 
Wednesday, January 7 | 7:00 PM | Tom Gola Arena

Live Audio | Live Video (PPV) | To watch on a phone or tablet, download the A-10 App!
Live Stats | Media Stats
Live Tweets @GoExplorers | Text Alerts

Game Notes
La Salle | UMass

Last Time Out
George Mason finished the game on a 13-4 run over the final five minutes to hand La Salle a 70-62 loss at the Patriot Center in their Atlantic 10 opener on Saturday. Senior Jerrell Wright (6-for-6 from the field) and redshirt sophomore Cleon Roberts tied for game-highs with 16 points each. Senior Steve Zack added 12 points.

All-Time Series
UMass leads the all-time series 16-14.. However, La Salle is 7-3 against the Minutemen in the past ten matchups. UMass picked up a 76-67 win over the Explorers last season despite 16 points from Jerrell Wright and 10 from Khalid Lewis. The last time the Minutemen visited Tom Gola Arena was in January of 2013, when the visitors hit a layup with eight seconds left to sneak past the Explorers 61-60.

Coach's Corner
Head Coach Dr. John Giannini on...

…The competitiveness of the A-10:
I just think every game is a real battle and you better be racked up for every game. I know that's coach speak but that's reality. Psychologically it's interesting, I told our team that half of the teams in our league lose their first game so it's not like we are in a gigantic hole here or different from a lot of other teams.

…Limiting turnovers:
I think that is one of the most important parts of basketball in general, limiting your turnovers. What makes it especially important against UMass is they are so good at converting them into baskets. Their great finishers and are long and athletic and make you pay more than a lot of teams do.
 
Scouting the Explorers
The Explorers are led by a senior class of Steve Zack, Jerrell Wright and D.J. Peterson, who have won 68 games during their careers for the Explorers. Since 1992, only the class of 2014 has left 20th and Olney with more wins in four years (75). Zack and Wright are averaging 8.7 and 6.9 rebounds per game, respectively, which ranks fifth and ninth in the conference. Wright has helped prolong possessions as he averages 3.1 offensive rebounds per game, good for sixth in the conference. Zack, meanwhile, has been a force on defense ranking fifth in the conference with 1.7 blocked shots per game and second with 6.6 defensive rebounds per game.

Redshirt sophomore Jordan Price has been the catalyst offensively for the Explorers. Price is averaging 17.5 points per game, which ranks second in the conference in scoring. Price leads the team averaging two three-pointers per game and has gotten to the line more than anyone in the league, converting 83.1 percent of his 83 free throws.

Defense continues to be the cornerstone of success for La Salle this season. The Explorers are limiting opponents to an average of 58.6 points per game and a 37.1 field goal percentage in their eight wins compared to 68.7 ppg and a 50.0 field goal percentage in losses this season.

Scouting the Minutemen
UMass fell 69-55 to St. Bonaventure (7-5, 1-0) in its Atlantic 10 Opener on Saturday afternoon at the Mullins Center. The Minutemen made it a three-point game midway through the second half before a 19-3 run by the Bonnies put the game out of reach.

The Minutemen return seven letterwinners, including starters Maxie Esho and Cady Lalanne, from last season's NCAA Tournament team. Esho paces the team in scoring with 13.5 points per game while Lalanne leads the team and is fourth in the A-10 with 9.1 rebounds per game.

Derrick Gordon (11.4 ppg) and Trey Davis (11 pgg) also score in double figures for UM while Davis leads the team in assists (3.3 apg).  Donte Clark and Jabarie Hinds combine for almost 17 points off the bench for the Minutemen.

UMass ranks fourth nationally in free throws made (272) and seventh in free throws attempted (381).
 
Up Next
La Salle welcomes George Washington to Tom Gola Arena on Saturday for a 12:30 p.m. tipoff on NBCSN.