Men's Basketball | December 28, 2017

PHILADELPHIA - The La Salle University men's basketball team begins Atlantic 10 play on Saturday, Dec. 30 with a home matchup with Saint Louis at Tom Gola Arena at TruMark Financial Center. A live video stream of the game is available to fans free of charge online via the Atlantic 10 Digital Network, beginning at 2:00 p.m.

NEWS & NOTES
•Playing without leading scorer and rebounder B.J. Johnson, La Salle dropped its final non-league game of the 2017-18 season on Dec. 22 at Bucknell (88-81).
•Johnson is day-to-day with an ankle injury he sustained in the second half against Mercer on Dec. 17. 
•Freshman forward Miles Brookins also did not play against Bucknell due to illness.
•Redshirt junior Pookie Powell matched a career high with 29 points and added three steals against the Bison.
•Sophomore Isiah Deas picked up the scoring slack for Johnson, totaling a career-best 24 points in 32 minutes off the bench.
•The Explorers jumped out to a six-point lead early in the first half but could not sustain their success in falling to 6-7 on the year.
•Freshman Dajour Joseph came off the bench and scored the first five points of his career while adding an assist.
•Redshirt freshman Cian Sullivan also saw eight minutes of action, grabbing five rebounds and blocking a pair of shots.
•The Bison went to the free-throw line 28 times in the second half, while La Salle earned 21 free throw attempts for the entire game.

SCOUTING SAINT LOUIS
•The Billikens went 7-6 during the non-conference portion of their schedule, and most recently drubbed Southeast Missouri by a score of 78-48.
•Davell Roby had a team-high 23 points as SLU shot 55.2 percent from the field.
•Javon Bess, who leads the team in scoring at 13.6 points per game, had a double double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and also added five assists.
•On the year, Saint Louis ranks second in the Atlantic 10 in scoring defense at 65.2 points allowed per game, and has held opponents to 37.4 percent shooting in victories.
•A pair of true freshmen have been mainstays in the starting lineup for the Billikins. 
•Guard Jordan Goodwin paces the team in assists (3.8/game) and is second in scoring (11.8 ppg), and forward Hasahn French is second in the Atlantic 10 in blocked shots (2.2/game).