Men's Basketball | November 16, 2015

PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle men's basketball team returns to the court to welcome former MAC and ECC-rival Rider to Tom Gola Arena for a 7 p.m. tip. The game will be streamed live on the A-10 Digital Network for free for fans to get a preview of GoExplorers.tv this season. 

Rider Broncs at La Salle Explorers
Tuesday, November 17 | 7 PM | Tom Gola Arena

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Pre-Game Information
The new Explorer GameDay food court opens at 5:30 PM in the Hall of Athletes area of the Hayman Center. Adults cost $15 and children under 12 are $8. 

Game Notes
La Salle | Rider

Last Time Out
Sophomore Johnnie Shuler scored five straight points in the final 40 seconds to help La Salle open the season with a 78-76 win over Towson. The Explorers led for much of the contest but Towson was able to take its first lead of the game with 4:22 remaining. Shuler intercepted a pass and was able to convert the fast-break layup regain La Salle the lead at 75-73 which they would not turn back from. Jordan Price finished with 27 points and six rebounds while Shuler added a career-high 15 points.   
All-Time Series
This is the 32nd all-time matchup between the two programs, with La Salle holding a 24-7 advantage over the Broncs. The series dates back to 1933, which was just the second season of competitive basketball at La Salle as the Explorers pulled out a 39-29 win at Wister Hall. The teams were rivals in the Middle Atlantic (1966-67 to 1972-73) and East Coast (1974-75 to 1982-83) Conferences.

Last Meeting With Rider:  La Salle raced to a 24-6 lead after nine minutes and led wire-to-wire in a 63-52 victory at Rider on Thursday evening. Junior Tyreek Duren scored a game-high 20 points and dished six assists while senior Ramon Galloway scored 17 and added four steals. Duren, the Big 5 Player of the Week, was his steady self, shooting 6-for-6 from the field, including 2-for-2 from three-point range. His only misses came at the foul line, where he was 6-for-9. Meanwhile, Galloway provided much of the pressure defense on Rider leading scorer Nurideen Lindsay, who was held to five points and committed five turnovers. Galloway shot 7-for-14 from the floor and committed only one turnover in 38 minutes.

Scouting the Explorers
- Sophomore Johnnie Shuler made the most of his first collegiate start, scoring a career-high 15 points, including a steal and lay-up that gave the Explorers the lead with 40 seconds remaining in Saturday's win over Towson. He also set career-highs in minutes (40) and rebounds (five). 

- Redshirt junior Jordan Price scored 27 points and grabbed six rebounds and was efficient in his 39 minutes of action. He shot 7-for-13 from the field and committed just one turnover. It is his eighth career 25+ point scoring outburst in 34 games as an Explorer and the fourth time in those games that he shot better than 50% from the field. 

- As a result of the injuries and three players sitting out due to NCAA transfer regulations, La Salle began Saturday's game with just seven scholarship players. After two Explorers fouled out, La Salle was down to five scholarship players for the final nine minutes. 

- Sophomore Yevgen Sakhniuk shot a perfect 5-for-5 from the field in scoring 11 points in just 15 minutes in his debut on Saturday vs. Towson. He played much of the second half with four fouls.

- With 6-10 center Tony Washington out and playing with no players taller than 6-7, La Salle needed everyone to chip in on the boards. Five players grabbed at least three caroms, including guards Shuler, Price and Roberts grabbing five-plus each. 

- La Salle has won 23 of its last 27 non-conference regular season games (.852) at Gola, including eight of the last ten. The only losses were Central Connecticut State (11/18/12), Manhattan (11/9/13), #10/9 Villanova (12/3/14) and American (12/16/14).

- La Salle is 22-3 since the beginning of the 2012-13 season when making at least nine three-pointers. The Explorers made nine three's versus Towson on Saturday. 

La Salle-Rider Connections
Rider sophomore Anthony Durham is a Philadelphia native that went to Abington HS. Head coach Kevin Baggett is a Saint Joseph's graduate and was 2-2 in his career against the Explorers.

Scouting the Broncos
Rider opened its season with a 64-56 loss to Princeton on Friday evening. Senior Shawn Valentine finished with a career-high 15 points and nine rebounds while junior Kahlil Thomas added 12 points and five rebounds of his own. Princeton opened up a 16 point lead in the first half which was erased as Rider stormed back and took a three point lead five minutes into the second half. The Tigers were able to hold off the Broncs down the stretch to seal the eight point victory.

The Broncs were picked to finish third in the MAAC this season in a preseason vote by conference coaches. Teddy Okereafor was named to the Preseason First Team All-MAAC list while junior Jimmie Taylor was named to the Third Team. Rider finished last season at 21-12 overall and 15-5 in the MAAC. The Broncs played in the College Basketball Invitational falling in the first round on the road to Loyola Chicago, 62-59.

Rider and La Salle had three common opponents last season with both teams facing Penn, Saint Peter's and Quinnipiac. The Explorers went 3-0 against the common foes while Rider had a 5-1 record against them with the sole loss coming at the hands of Saint Peter's in the MAAC Tournament.  
 
Up Next
The Explorers continue their home stand to open the season as they welcome Lafayette to Tom Gola Arena on Monday, November 23 with tip slated for 7 p.m.