PHILADELPHIA - The La Salle University men's basketball team put together a tremendous defensive performance, holding Saint Peter's to just 40 points and 30.6 percent shooting in a 61-40 win on Opening Day at Tom Gola Arena at TruMark Financial Center on Saturday.
The 40 points allowed were the fewest in the
Dr. John Giannini era and the lowest scoring output by an opponent since the 1973-74 opener against Lehigh (37) on Dec. 1, 1973.
"The defense was terrific and that was our off-season focus," Giannini, who won his 200th game at the helm of the Explorers, said. "It is easier said than done, but our guys did a great job."
Senior
B.J. Johnson registered a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while redshirt junior
Pookie Powell had a game-high 18 points, including 13 in the second half.
A three-pointer from Nick Griffin gave the Peacocks a 16-13 lead at the 11:50 mark of the opening half, before the Explorers turned up the defensive pressure. Over the next 10:41, La Salle forced St. Peter's into 11 consecutive misses and seven turnovers as they turned a three-point deficit into a 14-point lead at 30-16.
A three-ball from Cameron Jones cut the lead to 30-19 heading into intermission. Johnson led the Explorers with seven points and four rebounds, while senior
Tony Washington chipped in with six points in the first period.
La Salle was able to keep the Peacocks from making a run of any kind during the second half by holding them to just 29.2 percent from the floor. A three-point play from freshman
Miles Brookins, who had seven points in first collegiate game, bumped the lead to 46-33 with 8:32 to go. A three-pointer from Powell with just under four minutes remaining further extended the advantage to 53-38.Â
From there, SPU converted just one of its final five shots as the Explorers improved to 1-0 on the year. The Peacocks did not have a single player in double figures for the game, as Jones led the way off the bench with nine points.
The Explorers will have a quick turnaround, as their next game is a Big 5 affair against Penn at the Palestra on Monday, Nov. 13. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. The game will be televised locally on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
NOTES: A moment of silence was held prior to tipoff to honor the lives of Emily Hanycz and Sami Bienkowski, La Salle students who passed away earlier this week. "Our campus is in mourning and our team is too," said Giannini. "We have a job to do, but putting the ball in the basket is nothing compared to what those families are going through. People lost beautiful, young daughters. No one's family is helped or hurt because we won or lost this game. Anyone here who is a parent cannot believe what happened this week. We want to acknowledge these families and let them know how much we love them and cherish the memories of their daughters."Â
