Men's Basketball | November 24, 2019

ESTERO, Fla. - La Salle men's basketball returns from a nine-day break to take part in the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla. on Nov. 25-27. All of the action can be seen live online via FloHoops (subscription required). A live audio broadcast featuring the Voice of the Explorers Kale Beers will also be available through TuneIn Radio App and Stretch Internet Radio.

NEWS & NOTES
•The Explorers will play Murray State in the opening round of the eight-team event on Monday, Nov. 25 at Hertz Arena, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
•The winner of the La Salle-Murray State matchup will take on the winner of Wright State-Weber State in the semifinals on Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 7:30 p.m.
•The title game will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 27 at 7:30 p.m. 
•The rest of the field includes Drake, Northeastern, Miami (Ohio) and South Alabama.
•Freshman Sherif Kenney and junior David Beatty each scored 13 points in La Salle's last outing against Big 5 rival Temple, a 70-65 defeat.
•The Explorers fought back from a deficit and pulled to within four late but could not get over the hump.
•Through three games, freshman Ayinde Hikim has been a spark off the bench and is leading the squad in assists (12) and steals (8).

SCOUTING MURRAY STATE
•The Racers are coming off an impressive season in 2018-19 which saw them finish 28-5 and upset Marquette in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
•Tevin Brown scored 19 points in the victory over the Golden Eagles and leads the team this season in scoring at 15.3 points per game.
•Four different players are averaging in double figures for Murray State -- Brown, KJ Williams (13.0 ppg), Anthony Smith (10.8 ppg) and Chico Carter Jr. (10.5 ppg)
•Offensively, Murray State is among the national leaders in field-goal percentage at 49.8% and is outrebounding opponents by nearly 16 per game (44.3-28.8).

SERIES HISTORY
•La Salle holds a 1-0 lead in the all-time series with Murray State.
•The first and only meeting came during the 1951-52 season that culminated in a National Invitation Tournament championship for the Explorers.
•The Explorers earned a 105-82 victory over the Racers.

PERFECT 10
•In La Salle first two games of the year, head coach Ashley Howard has gone to his bench with no hesitation.
•Ten players -- all 10 scholarship players available to play -- are averaging at least 15 minutes a game and no player is averaging more than 29.4.
•The Explorers hold a 82-35 (+15.7/game) edge in bench scoring through two games with senior Isiah Deas averaging 7.3 points per game and freshman Ayinde Hikim at 6.3 ppg.