Men's Basketball | January 10, 2022

PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle men's basketball team makes a quick turnaround from its weekend contest, hosting the second Atlantic 10 matchup inside Tom Gola Arena in four days as the Explorers face St. Bonaventure on Tuesday, January 11.
 
The 7 p.m. tip is set to air on ESPN+, with Kale Beers on both the broadcast and on an audio only broadcast at goexplorers.com/watch.
 
The La Salle Athletic Department are dedicating the matchup against the Bonnies as First Responders Night. All medical personnel, firefighters and law enforcement can enter the arena for free by showing ID at the box office.
 
NEWS & NOTES

• The Explorers host an opponent inside Tom Gola Arena for the ninth time on Tuesday evening, facing St. Bonaventure in a Tuesday night Atlantic 10 matchup.
• La Salle continues a favorable schedule to begin the 2021-22 campaign, one that sees the Explorers only leaving city limits just twice in their first 16 games. La Salle doesn't leave Philadelphia again until a planned trip to Davidson at the end of January.
• The Explorers continue to search for their first conference win of the season, finishing the non-conference with a .500 record at 5-5.
• La Salle looks to snap a three-game losing streak, dropping their last two games inside Gola after starting the year 5-1 inside home territory.
• The last time out, the Explorers faced a pesky defense in form of the VCU Rams. The Virginia side forced 19 turnovers, outscoring the Explorers 30-12 in points off turnovers in route to an 85-66 win on Saturday afternoon. The matchup with the Bonnies will be the second in four days before getting a six day break before a matchup with Saint Joseph's.
• Clifton Moore continues to soar to new heights for the Explorers, coming off his first double-double game with 21 points and 12 rebounds - a career-high. Moore has averaged 23.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks in his last two outings.
• Khalil Brantley led a backcourt without two starters available in the game against VCU, eclipsing a new career-high with 18 points off the bench. The rookie played a career-high 34 minutes against VCU.

 
SCOUTING ST. BONAVENTURE

• St. Bonaventure enters the Tuesday matchup sitting at 8-3. The Bonnies tallied eight wins in their first nine games, looking to break away from a current two game losing streak as they finally enter A-10 action.
• The A-10 preseason favorites put three players on the preseason all-conference teams, led by Osun Osunniyi and Kyle Lofton.
• Jaren Holmes has been leading the Bonnie offense in scoring, one of five players in double-digits with a team-high 15.8 ppg. Lofton tallies 15.6 points per game, the duo recording 94 of the team's 150 assists. Jalen Adaway leads the Bonnies with 7.6 rebounds per game along with 13.6 points, while Dominick Welch and Osunniyi tally 11.2 and 10.0 points respectively.
• One of the nation's tidiest teams, the Bonnies rank fifth in turnovers with 120 in 11 games.

 
GIVE ME MOORE

• Clifton Moore has proven himself to be a menace on the defensive side of the ball, ranking 20th in the nation in blocks with 2.83 blocks per game.
• With six blocks against Army West Point, Moore recorded the most blocks in a game since November 20, 2010 when Aaric Murray recorded nine in a 79-74 win over Morgan State. The six blocks is fourth-most in program history.
• Moore put up a highlight reel in defeat to Fordham, knocking down 12-17 attempts from the field for 26 points, besting his career-high by 11 points. The Ambler, Pa. native also added a season-high eight rebounds, five blocks and two steals. It was the third time this season Moore recorded 5+ blocks.
• In Moore's previous two games, the Ambler native has recorded 23.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks. Moore's 21/12 effort against VCU was the first double-double of his career, setting a career-high in rebounds.

 
TURNING OVER THE ROCK

• The Explorers have been loose with the ball during the three game losing spurt, averaging 17 turnovers in the last three games.
• Despite shooting well above their season average in those three games, the Explorers have been -24 in points off turnovers.

 
SERIES HISTORY

• The Explorers enter Tuesday's game with the slightest of edges in the series, holding an 18-17 record into the 36th game of the two teams.
• La Salle holds a 9-5 record all-time against the Bonnies inside Tom Gola Arena.
• St. Bonaventure took the bragging rights in last year's edition of the matchup, tallying an 86-73 win after a strong second half at the Reilly Center.
• The Explorers have won four of the last five against the Bonnies at home.
• Under Coach Howard, La Salle is 1-2 against St. Bonaventure.