Men's Basketball | January 21, 2022

PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle men's basketball team hosts Richmond inside of Tom Gola Arena in TruMark Financial Center on Saturday, clashing with the Spiders in a televised game on USA Network beginning at 4:30 p.m.
 
La Salle Athletics will remember one of the program's most iconic moments in the 21^st century, Ty Garland's "Southwest Philly Floater" that took the Explorers to the Sweet 16 in a buzzer beating shot that propelled La Salle past Ole Miss in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
 
La Salle alum Mike Sielski will also be on campus prior to and during Saturday's game, promoting his book on Kobe Bryant: "The Rise". Sielski will be taking part in a book signing at Founders' Hall on Saturday, beginning at 2 p.m., and will attend the men's basketball game.
 
NEWS & NOTES

• The Explorers return to the comforts of Tom Gola Arena after a road trip saw La Salle play in two games in three days. After an MLK Day victory over Saint Joseph's, the Explorers took the short flight over to Rhode Island, making up their matchup with the Rams that was previously postponed.
• The trip north was just the third time this year that the Explorers made a trip outside of Philadelphia, yet to secure a victory outside of city limits.
• The Explorers are arguably playing their best ball of the year despite recent results. La Salle held a double-digit advantage over preseason favorites St. Bonaventure, falling in overtime, before a statement win and a down-to-the-wire defeat against Rhode Island.
• Against Rhody, the Explorers fought off a slow start, finishing the first half on fire to shoot nearly 50% from the field to hold an eight point lead into the break. A slugfest in the second half saw Rhody back into the game, and despite three chances on the final possession, the Explorers failed to connect on any as the Rams escaped with a two-point win.
• Clifton Moore had one of his quieter games in A-10 play but still led the team with 10 points, his fifth-straight game in double figures after recording only six games with 10+ points in his career prior to conference play.
• Jack Clark tallied nine points and nine rebounds coming off of his career performance against the Hawks, in which he scored 18 of his 21 points (tied for career most) in the second half.

 
SCOUTING RICHMOND

• Richmond comes into Gola with an 11-7 record on the season, entering the matchup 2-3 in A-10 play.  After two losses to open conference action, the Spiders have won two of their last three as they look to move to .500 with a win over the Explorers.
• The Spiders are amongst the best in the country at taking care of the ball and dishing the rock. Richmond ranks 4th in the country in assist-turnover ratio (1.67). Their 16.3 assists per game rank 36th in the nation while they are only conceding 9.7 turnovers per game, the NCAA 9th best rate.
• Jacob Gilyard is a vital cog to the success of Richmond, the guard ranking first in the country in steals (3.44), sixth in assist-turnover ratio (3.36), 12th in assists (6.2) and ninth in minutes (37:28).
• Tyler Burton leads the team in both points per game (17.1) and rebounds per game (7.2) while Grant Golden adds 14.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest. Gilyard is third on the team with 12.6 ppg.

 
A-10 LEADERS

• Clifton Moore has been a force since starting A-10 play. Sixth in the league in scoring heading into the matchup with the Spiders, Moore is averaging 18.0 points per game against conference foes. The forward has also grabbed 43 rebounds in his last five games, good for fifth in the league at 8.6 per contest. Moore is shooting 55.4% from the field in that span, the 8th-best mark in league play of those who have taken 30+ attempts. Moore has taken the most field goals (65) in league play, only two others eclipsing the 60+ mark.  Known more for his rim protection entering the season, Moore has 13 blocks in his last five games, the fifth best average in the Atlantic 10 at 2.6 per game.
• In the absence of Jhamir Brickus in the Explorer lineup, Khalil Brantley and Anwar Gill stepped up in the backcourt. Gill ranks 15th in league play with 3.4 assists per game, Brantley following just behind at 17th with a 3.2 average. The two combined for 15 assists against the Bonnies.
• After five games in the A-10, Khalil Brantley's career-best eight assists to just one turnover against St. Bonaventure pushed him all the way up to 4th in assist-turnover ratio at the time. Brantley has been dishing 1.8 dimes per turnover in A-10 play, now sitting at 12th in the conference.

 
JACK CLARK KENT

• For the first time in his career, Jack Clark registered a double-double in the season opening loss against Sacred Heart. His 12 point, 11 rebound contest was the 15th time registering double figure scoring and the third time with 10+ rebounds. Clark joins Christian Ray as the only other Explorer to record a double-double, the junior with four in his career.
• The fourth-year man refound his rhythm after an early season slump, going 6-9 from the field for 18 points and eight rebounds in a rout over FDU.
• Clark produced his best game of the season in a Philly matchup, taking over with 21 points against St. Joe's to tie a career-high in points. Clark scored 18 of his 21 in the second half, also adding six rebounds in the rivalry win.
• Clark nearly tallied his second double-double of the year, scoring nine points and adding nine boards in his output at Rhode Island.

 
GETTING MORE FROM MOORE

• Clifton Moore has proven himself to be a menace on the defensive side of the ball, ranking 25th in the nation in blocks with 2.60 blocks per game.
• In Moore's previous five games, the Ambler native has averaged 18.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocks. Moore's 21/12 effort against VCU was the first double-double of his career, setting a career-high in rebounds. He produced his second-straight 10/10 performance of his career the next time out, tallying 17 and 10 against St. Bonaventure. The Ambler native again tallied a double-double against St. Joe's, garnering the third-straight of his career with a 16/10 performance against the Hawks.
• Moore has scored in double-figures in his last five games, seven times in his last nine.

 
PHILLY LIVIN'

• 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.
• The Fordham Rams broke a five-game win streak inside Tom Gola Arena, the only other loss coming in the home opener in overtime to Sacred Heart. Since then, the Explorers have went on a three-game losing streak at home in conference play.
• La Salle left the city for just the third time in its opening 15 games to start the season when it traveled to Rhode Island. The two-game home stand will make it 14 times in 17 games that have been played in the city of Philadelphia.

 
MAMADOU ON THE MARK

• Doucoure spent the previous four seasons at Rutgers before joining La Salle, playing in 71 games in his Scarlett Knight career.
• Doucoure scored his first basket for La Salle in the win against the Great Danes, adding three rebounds and a steal in his 20 minute appearance.
• The first year Explorer produced the best game of his time on 20th and Olney, tallying a career-high 10 rebounds against FDU while scoring four points on the offensive end.
• In his first start as an Explorer, Doucoure tallied 12 points (most since his freshman season at Rutgers) and added eight rebounds in defeat to Fordham.
• In his five starts for the Explorers, Doucoure has tallied 30 rebounds, seven more rebounds than in his 10 games off the bench.

 
SERIES HISTORY

• A relatively close series history sees the Spiders hold a 21-17 overall advantage over the Explorers.
• La Salle defeated Richmond in last season's matchup, previously losing six of the last seven.
• The Explorers used six differed double figure scorers last year to knock off the preseason conference favorites by six points, shooting a blistering 57.1% from the field to upset the Spiders on their home court.
• The Explorers have lost their last three against Richmond inside Gola, 2-3 in their last five.
• La Salle is 2-3 against the Spiders under Coach Howard.