Men's Basketball | November 19, 2021

PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle men's basketball team returns to Gola on Saturday afternoon, taking part in a 4 p.m. showdown against the Army West Point Black Knights in part of its Military Appreciation Day doubleheader with the women's team.
 
The game against Army can be found on ESPN+, Kale Beers and Richard Prendegast on the broadcast. Fans can still purchase tickets by going to this link.
 
LAST TIME OUT

• A toughly contested matchup inside the Bob Carpenter Center saw the Blue Hens edge the Explorers in overtime, defeating La Salle 85-82.
• All five starters scored in double-figures against Delaware, four of the five grabbing either career or season-best scoring marks. Jack Clark led the way with 18 points for the Explorers.
• Clark and Christian Ray each scored five of the first 12 points of the night, giving the Explorers an early lead.
• A game of runs in the first half, the Explorers chipped away at a Delaware lead after missing eight of nine shots during a stretch, using a quick 7-0 run to retake a 24-22 lead.
• Delaware scored the final nine points of the half to take a 35-30 lead into half.
• Trailing by two with nine seconds on the clock, Jhamir Brickus drove to the basket, fighting off the contact to finish at the hoop and knocked down an ensuing free throw.
• Delaware's Ryan Allen missed two of his three free throw attempts with two seconds remaining, tying the game at 70 heading into the extra frame.
• The Blue Hens would go 11-12 from the free throw line in overtime, outscoring the Explorers 15-12 to walk away with a narrow home opening win.

 
SCOUTING THE BLACK KNIGHTS

• The Black Knights enter Tom Gola off the back of two straight wins, defeating Hartford before thumping Merrimack College 74-51 on Wednesday. Army's sole loss came at the hands of #9 Duke in 82-56 fashion.
• The Black Knights were tabled to finish fourth in the Patriot League preseason poll, behind league favorites Boston, Colgate and Navy.
• As a team, Army Weset Point shoots 47.5% from the field and 32.3% from behind the arc. Early season free throw problems have shown up for the Black Knights, only 60.6% from the line on the season.
• 18 players have seen action this season, all having made at least two appearances. Josh Caldwell leads the team in scoring with 17.0 ppg, Jalen Rucker (15.8ppg) and Charlie Peterson (12.8 ppg) both in double figures. Caldwell also tallies a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game.

 
SERIES HISTORY

• Saturday's contest features the 20th time these two sides have matched up against each other, the Explorers holding a significant advantage.
• The first meeting between the two came in 1973, while the two teams have faced each other just twice in the past 10 years.
• La Salle holds a 9-1 advantage at home, unblemished in its only game inside Tom Gola Arena.
• Army got the better of the Explorers the last time out, defending their home court in a 63-59 win in the 2020-21 season.

 
RAY THE RELIABLE

• Entering his third season, Christian Ray has long proven the value he adds to the team on both ends of the court. Leading the team in points in the win over UAlbany, the junior followed up that performance with a career-night against the Blue Hens.
• Ray finished with a season-high 14 points against Delaware, four points shy of his career-best set last season. The Gap, Pa. native also added a career-best 16 rebounds, the most by an Explorer since Ed Crosswell secured 18 against Saint Louis (1/29/20).
• Collecting his fourth career double-double with 14:44 remaining in regulation, Ray also neared a career-best in assists, dishing out four dimes in defeat.

 
CARDINAL RULE

• Joining the Explorers from a two-year stint at Louisville, Josh Nickelberry has already surpassed his numbers during his time as a Cardinal. In 24 games, the junior registered 37 points. After just three games in the Blue and Gold, Nickelberry has already recorded 41 points after scoring a team-high 13.7 points per game.
• Nickelberry, who totaled 37 points in an injury riddled stint as a Cardinal, knocked down 22 points on 8-17 shooting in the game against Sacred Heart (6-11 from behind the arc), three points short of what he tallied in his best season at Louisville as a sophomore.
• On his way to 19 first half points, Nickelberry had already posted a career-high just eight minutes into the game.

 
GETTING MOORE FROM MORE

• Redshirt junior Clifton Moore provided a presence down low in his first year as an Explorer after transferring in from Indiana University prior to the 2019-20 season.
• The 6-10 big man made posted a career-best 14 points in the overtime loss against Delaware, making a living at the line by going 8-10.
• The big man from Ambler, Pa. has recorded a block in each of the first three games of the season.