Men's Basketball | December 29, 2021

PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle men's basketball team begins its Atlantic 10 campaign on Thursday evening, taking on Fordham in the conference opener inside Tom Gola Arena.
 
Leaving non-conference action with a 5-5 record, the Explorers look end 2021 pushing past .500 once again to start A-10 action on the right foot. Kale Beers will be on the call on ESPN+ and on the radio broadcast, with the tip set for 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 30.
 
Tomorrow night's game features a Dollar Dog Night, fans able to purchase hot dogs throughout the contest for just one dollar. Additionally, any college student that shows their school ID at the ticket office will receive free admission into the game.
 
NEWS & NOTES

• The Explorers gear up for the first game of conference play, hosting the Fordham Rams in a Thursday night Atlantic 10 matchup.
• La Salle's non-conference season has yet to be determined if its final game against Drexel will be played, having been postponed on the other side of the holiday break due to a COVID breakout within the Drexel squad.
• Half of the Explorers games have been decided by a single possession at the end of the regulation, the other half coming in the form of a double-digit result. La Salle is 3-2 in games decided by less than one possession after 40 minutes.
• La Salle looks to get back to winning ways after falling to Bucknell the last time out, currently holding a five-game win streak inside of Tom Gola Arena. The Explorers have gone 12 days without playing a game.
• Shooting over 50% from the field during their three-game win streak, the Explorer offense hit a stumbling block in the loss to the Bison. The Explorers shot 44.3% - above their season average of 41.5% - but gave up a season-worst 82 points in regulation, a number that has been topped by an opponent only in overtime contests.
• Josh Nickelberry produced his fourth straight game with double-digit scoring, leading the team with 12.8 points per game on the season.
• Jack Clark scored a team-high 18 points on 7-11 shooting against Bucknell en route to the first accolade for the Explorers on the season, earning Philadelphia Big 5 Player of the Week honors.

 
SCOUTING FORDHAM

• Fordham enters Gola with a 7-5 record, winning four of their last six while dropping a close battle with Miami the last time out at the Barclays Center. 3-4 outside of Rose Hill Gym, the Rams look to move to .500 in their first game in 18 days after a COVID cancelation against Georgia Southern.
• A three headed monster in the form of Antonio Daye Jr. (17.6 ppg), Darius Quisenberry (16.3 ppg) and Chuba Ohams (14.5 ppg) spearhead the Ram offense, combining for 66.2% of the scoring for Fordham. Daye also leads the team with 39 assists, while Ohams averages a double-double by adding 11.5 rebounds per game to his game along with 24 blocks.
• Fordham is one of the best teams in the country at getting to the free throw line, ranking 44th in the nation in free throw attempts and 33rd in makes. The Rams are also the best defensive rebounding team in the Atlantic 10, tallying 28 defensive boards per game.

 
BIG 5 RECOGNITION

• Despite the loss to the Bison, Jack Clark proved his worth to the offense with his second 18-point performance in the last three games, landing him Philadelphia Big 5 Player of the Week honors for the week ending December 19.
• Clark, who shot 7-11 from the field and connected on four triples for the second time in his career, tied his season high. His only better scoring performance came in the last visit with Bucknell, tallying 21 points as a rookie.

 
POSTPONED IN PHILLY

• Coach Howard was set to face his alma mater for the fourth time as the head coach of the Explorers, set to host Drexel in the final game before the holidays.
• The game was called off due to COVID cases inside the Drexel program, the two teams looking to find a new date for the contest.
• The Explorers now enter the matchup with Fordham with 12 days in between games, last facing Bucknell on the road on December 18th.

 
DEFENDING IS AN ART

• In their nonconference campaign, the Explorers are 4-0 when allowing less than 65 points and 1-5 when allowing 70+ points.
• La Salle held Army West Point to 58 points on 31.1% shooting, a season-low for an opponent in both categories until allowing just 55 points to FDU, holding the Knights to just 22.2% from the field in the second half.
• The 61 points against Army is the lowest the Explorers scored in a win since a Dec. 12 contest last season against Drexel, defeating the Dragons 58-48.
• The 74 points allowed to Penn is the most given up by the Explorers in a win, the first time claiming victory while allowing more than 65 points.
• In wins, the Explorers concede just 63.2 points, giving up 79.8 points in losses.

 
HOME SWEET HOME

• The Explorers spent their nonconference campaign in and around the city of Philadelphia. Only playing three road games before A-10 action, the Explorers traveled no further than Lewisburg, Pa. for any of their away trips.
• La Salle holds a five-game win streak inside Tom Gola Arena, the only loss coming in the home opener in overtime to Sacred Heart. The streak is the most since the 2016-17 season, that squad tallying seven-straight wins on 20th and Olney.
• The Explorers have found success at Gola in 2021, entering the matchup 9-3 this calendar year in the friendly confines of Tom Gola Arena.

 
SERIES HISTORY

• The two teams open Atlantic 10 play this season in their 62nd meeting, the Explorers leading 44-17 in the series.
• The last time these two met inside Tom Gola Arena, the Explorers routed the Rams in a 37 point blowout in the 2020-21 season. Five scorers had double-figures in the win, Jack Clark with 15 points. Jhamir Brickus recorded a career-high 10 assists.
• Fordham rebounded with an eight point victory later in the season.
• The loss last season ended a run of nine straight victories by the Explorers, dating back to the 2017 season.
• Coach Howard is 5-1 all-time against Fordham.
• The series opened in 1954, La Salle beating Fordham twice in the season.