Men's Basketball | February 21, 2023

PHILADELPHIA - The La Salle men's basketball team looks to get back on a winning streak on Wednesday when it hosts Duquesne in a pivotal Atlantic 10 game at Tom Gola Arena at TruMark Financial Center. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
 
The game will be televised on ESPN+, with Kale Beers and Rich Tarr delivering the play-by-play and color commentary. Explorers fans can also listen to the broadcast through GoExplorers.com/watch. In addition, Explorers fans can follow the team on Twitter @LaSalle_MBB and Instagram @lasallembb.
 
The game will also feature a Stadium Cup Giveaway. The first 750 fans in attendance will receive a limited edition La Salle Stadium Cup.
 
Tickets for this game and the Explorers' final home game of the season against Loyola Chicago on Saturday, March 4 are on sale as part of a $25 two-game mini plan. Click here to purchase them.
 
In addition, the first 22 students in attendance for the game will be selected to shoot a half court shot at a timeout during the game with a chance to win a free big screen TV. Click here to claim your free student ticket.
 
There will also be a pre-game reception at the Hideaway at Blue and Gold Commons. The Hideaway will open two hours prior to tip-off to all fans.
 
NEWS & NOTES

• The Explorers saw their Atlantic 10-best five-game winning streak come to an end after losing a 70-66 contest to George Mason last Saturday on the road. In the game, La Salle held a lead as many as six points in the second half before the Patriots made a late rally to win it.
• The Explorers are currently in seventh place in the A-10 standings at 7-7. They trail Duquesne by one game for the fifth spot in the standings.
• 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 34.1 points per game, with Brantley scoring 14.3 per game, Nickelberry chipping in 10.6 per contest, Brickus scoring 9.2 per game, and Drame adding 9.1 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 593-339 career record and a 336-136 mark in conference games.

SERIES HISTORY

• Wednesday's contest is the 80th meeting between the Explorers and the Dukes.
• The matchup between La Salle and Duquesne dates back to 1940, with La Salle leading the series at 45-34.
• The Explorers have won two straight against the Dukes and 10 of the last 13 meetings with them dating back to Jan. 28, 2012.
• The Explorers have won six straight games against Duquesne at Tom Gola Arena dating back to March 2, 2013.

DOUBLE THE DRAME, DOUBLE THE EXPERIENCE

• Jhamir "Jig" Brickus has shown he can step up and score, as evident of his career-high 25 points that he scored twice this year against Penn and UMass.
• In the Explorers' win against Penn on Dec, 3, Brickus shot 9-for-12 from the field, including 6-for-8 from three, in 43 minutes. The Coatesville, Pa. native's six three-pointers made and minutes played were career highs.
• Against UMass, Brickus scored 22 of his career-high 25 points in the second half. He also matched his career high in threes with six — all of which came in the second half — and his season-best in field goals made with nine.
• Brickus came up with big plays in the Explorers' win over Rhode Island on Jan. 7. He made three clutch free throws with 3.7 seconds left in regulation to tie the game and send it to overtime. In overtime, he scored five of the team's six points, including the go-ahead three-pointer with 31.3 seconds left.
• Brickus has shot well from three-point range, as he ranks sixth in the A-10 in three-point field goal percentage at 40.2 (35-for-87).
• Brickus has scored in double figures in 13 contests this season.
• Brickus also has shown great stamina for La Salle, playing 32.3 minutes per game, which is good for 20th in the A-10.

SCOUTING DUQUESNE

• The Dukes enter the game at 18-9 and 8-6 in A-10 play after dropping a 90-85 contest to Saint Louis on the road.
• The Dukes' eight wins in conference play were against Rhode Island (72-61), VCU (79-70), Saint Joseph's (92-90 and 76-62), Loyola Chicago (72-58), George Washington (93-67), George Mason (75-52), and St. Bonaventure (56-54), respectively.
• The Dukes are 2-5 in A-10 play on the road this season, with their pair of wins coming at Saint Joseph's on Jan. 11 and at George Washington on Feb. 4.
• The Dukes have two players averaging double figures in scoring in Dae Dae Grant and Jimmy Clark III. Grant leads the team with 15.6 points per game, while Clark III has added 12.0 points per game.
• Duquesne is led by Keith Dambrot, who is in his sixth season as head coach for the Dukes. Coaching his 25th season overall, Dambrot has a 89-80 record with the Dukes and a 502-289 career record overall.