Men's Basketball | November 10, 2023

PHILADELPHIA - The La Salle men's basketball team will go for its second straight win in as many games Saturday when it hosts Northeastern in its Homecoming game at Tom Gola Arena at TruMark Financial Center. Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m.
 
The game will be televised on ESPN+, with Kale Beers and Rich Prendergast delivering the play-by-play and color commentary. In addition, Explorers fans can follow the team on X @LaSalle_MBB and Instagram @lasallembb.
 
There will also be a pre-game reception at the Hideaway at Blue and Gold Commons. The Hideaway will open 90 minutes prior to tip-off to all fans.
 
NEWS & NOTES

• La Salle looks to start the season 2-0 for the first time since 2017-18, when they went 3-0 by defeating Saint Peter's (61-40), Penn (75-71 in double overtime), and South Alabama (81-73), respectively.
• The Explorers are coming off a 67-61 victory over Drexel in their season and Philadelphia Big 5 openers. In that game, senior Jhamir Brickus scored a game-high 18 points, 14 of which came in the second half, to lead the team to the victory.
• Along with Brickus, the Explorers also had three other players in double figures in Anwar Gill, Khalil Brantley, and Rokas Jocius. Gill scored 15 points, Brantley netted 13 points, and Jocius chipped in 10, respectively.
• The Explorers will face Northeastern for the fourth time in program history and for the first time since 2011.
• The Explorers are led by head coach Fran Dunphy, the all-time winningest coach in Philadelphia Big 5 history who is in his second season leading the program and in his 32nd season overall on the sidelines. A 1970 La Salle graduate, Dunphy sports a 596-344 career record and a 336-140 mark in conference games. Dunphy will try to become the 15th active NCAA Division I head coach to reach 600 wins. 

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR

• For the second straight season, the Explorers sport seven international players on the roster.
• Unlike last season, the Explorers' seven players — Rokas Jocius, Milos Kovacevic, Andres Marrero, Lucas Mercandino, Jorge Sanchez-Ramos, Efe Tahmaz, and Tunde Vahlberg Fasasi — all hail from different countries. Jocius is from Lithuania, Kovacevic hails from Serbia, Marrero is from Venezuela, Mercandino is from Argentina, Sanchez-Ramos is from Spain, Tahmaz is from Turkey, and Vahlberg Fasasi is from Sweden.
• Jocius and Marrero made an impact in the Explorers' win over Drexel. Jocius scored 10 points and had game-highs in rebounds (nine) and blocks (three). As for Marrero, he knocked down two three-pointers.
• Jocius and Vahlberg Fasasi each played for their respective national teams during the summer.

SCOUTING NORTHEASTERN

• The Huskies enter the contest 1-0 after topping Boston University, 67-58, on Tuesday night.
• The Huskies struggled last season, going 10-20 overall and 6-12 in CAA play.
• The Huskies are led by graduate students Luka Sakota and Chris Doherty. In the win over BU, Sakota scored 17 points and Doherty put up a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
• Northeastern is led by Bill Coen, who is in his 18th season as head coach for the school. A 1983 Hamilton graduate, Coen sports a 271-264 record.

SERIES HISTORY AGAINST NORTHEASTERN

• Saturday's contest is the fourth meeting between the Explorers and the Huskies.
• The matchup between La Salle and Northeastern dates back to 1987, with La Salle leading the series at 2-1.
• The Explorers won the first meeting in the series on Dec. 27, 1987, when they posted a 102-85 victory at the Jostens Classic at The Palestra.
• After dropping a 92-85 game to the Huskies in 1998 at the Lobo Classic, the Explorers topped them, 68-51, in 2011 at home.