Men's Basketball | January 20, 2023

PHILADELPHIA - The La Salle men's basketball team looks to get back to .500 in Atlantic 10 play on Saturday when it faces Saint Louis on the road at Chaifetz Arena. Tip-off is set for 2:30 p.m. ET.
 
The game will be nationally televised on USA Network, with Steve Schlanger and Matt McCall delivering the play-by-play and color commentary. In addition, Explorers fans can follow the team on Twitter @LaSalle_MBB and Instagram @lasallembb.
 
NEWS & NOTES

• The Explorers will go up against the Billikens for the 33rd time in program history. Saint Louis leads the series with a 22-10 record.
• The Explorers are coming off a 71-59 loss to rival Saint Joseph's on Monday at Tom Gola Arena at TruMark Financial Center.
• The Explorers have four players averaging close to double figures in Khalil Brantley, Josh Nickelberry, Jhamir Brickus and Fousseyni Drame. The foursome has combined for 44.0 points per game, with Brantley scoring 14.4 per game, Nickelberry chipping in 10.5 per contest, Brickus averaging 9.8 per game, and Drame adding 9.4 per game.
• The Explorers are led by head coach Fran Dunphy, the all-time winningest coach in Philadelphia Big 5 history. A 1970 La Salle graduate, Dunphy sports a 588-335 career record and a 331-132 mark in conference games.

PICKING OPPONENTS' POCKETS

• The Explorers have cracked the top 100 in all of NCAA Division I in terms of steals, as they are ranked 75th in the country after averaging 7.7 steals per game. They also rank second in the A-10 in that department.
• The Explorers had their best performance of the season as far as taking away the basketball goes, as they recorded a season-best 13 steals against Saint Joseph's on Monday.
• The Explorers have made 10 steals or more in a game four times this season.
• The Explorers have recorded eight or more steals in a game eight times this season.

DOUBLE THE DRAME, DOUBLE THE EXPERIENCE

• Transfers Fousseyni and Hassan Drame will continue to rely on their experience from last season. That's because the twin forwards helped Saint Peter's make history last season by becoming the first 15th seed to reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
• Fousseyni led Saint Peter's with 6.4 rebounds per game while also adding 6.9 points per contest in 33 games. In the Peacock's Elite Eight game against North Carolina, Fousseyni produced 12 points and seven rebounds.
• Hassan averaged 7.25 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.25 assists per game during the NCAA Tournament.  In Saint Peter's win over Murrary State in the Second Round, Hassan poured in eight points and added eight rebounds.
• Hassan and Fousseyni have performed well so far this season for the Explorers.
• Fousseyni has scored 170 points, including a career-high 24 against Saint Joseph's on Monday. Fousseyni is also tied for seventh in the A-10 in offensive rebounds per game at 2.3, tied for ninth in the conference in blocks per game at 1.1, tied for 10th in steals per game at 1.4, and 24th in free-throw percentage at .720.
• Hassan has scored 114 points, 17 of which came against Villanova, and is third on the team in rebounds at 4.3 per game. 

SERIES HISTORY

• The matchup between La Salle and Saint Louis dates back to 1951.
• The Billikens have won nine of the last 10 meetings dating back to 2018.
• The Explorers' last win against Saint Louis was on Feb. 3, 2021, when they posted an 82-75 victory at Tom Gola Arena at Trumark Financial Center.
• The Explorers will look to snap an eight-game losing streak against the Billikens in games played at Saint Louis. The Explorers' last road win against the Billikens was on Feb. 9, 2011, when they earned a 78-77 victory.

SCOUTING SAINT LOUIS

• The Billikens enter the game at 13-6 and 5-1 in A-10 play after winning their fourth straight A-10 game against Loyola Chicago, 76-59, on Wednesday at home. The Billikens other 12 wins this season were against Murray State (91-68), Evansville (83-65), Memphis (90-84), Providence (76-73), Paul Quinn (96-53), Tennessee State (80-63), Southern Illinois (85-72), Drake (83-75), Saint Joseph's (83-78), St. Bonaventure (78-55), George Mason (63-62), and George Washington (81-74), respectively.
• The Billikens' six losses were to Maryland (95-67), Auburn (65-60), Iona (84-62), Boise State (57-52), SIUE (69-67), and UMass (90-81), respectively.
• Last year, the Billikens finished fifth in the A-10, reached the semifinals of the conference tournament, and played in the NIT.
• The Billikens have a balanced scoring attack, as they have four players averaging double figures in Gibson Jimerson, Yuri Collins, Javonte Perkins and Javon Pickett. Jimerson leads the way with 12.9 points per game, Collins is next with 11.8 points per game, Perkins follows him at 11.2, and Pickett rounds out the foursome with 10.9.
• Saint Louis is led by Travis Ford, who is in his seventh season as head coach for the Billikens. Coaching his 26th season overall, Ford has a 125-83 record with Saint Louis and a 461-349 overall mark.