Men's Basketball | February 27, 2023

DAYTON, Ohio - The La Salle men's basketball team tries to snap a three-game losing streak and earn a crucial win in A-10 play on Tuesday night when it faces Dayton at UD Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
 
The game will be televised via the NBC Sports App and NBCSports.com. In addition, Explorers fans can follow the team on Twitter @LaSalle_MBB and Instagram @lasallembb.
 
NEWS & NOTES

• After going on a five-game winning streak, the Explorers have lost their last three games to George Mason (70-66), Duquesne (91-74), and George Washington (92-85), respectively. In the George Washington game on Saturday, the Explorers led by two points at the half, but the Colonials used a late surge in the half to earn the victory.
• The Explorers are currently in a tie for ninth place in the A-10 standings at 7-9. A win over the Flyers would put them in a tie for eighth with St. Bonaventure.
• The Explorers will try to their third straight game against the Flyers after topping them, 62-60, last season at Tom Gola Arena at TruMark Financial Center and beating them, 67-65, on Dec. 30, 2020 at UD Arena.
• The Explorers have four players averaging close to double figures in Khalil Brantley, Josh Nickelberry, Fousseyni Drame, and Jhamir Brickus. The foursome has combined for 43.5 points per game, with Brantley scoring 13.9 per game, Nickelberry chipping in 11.3 per contest, Drame adding 9.3 per game, and Brickus scoring 9.0 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 593-341 career record and a 336-138 mark in conference games.

SERIES HISTORY

• Tuesday's contest is the 49th meeting between the Explorers and the Flyers.
• The matchup between La Salle and Dayton dates back to 1952, with Dayton leading the series at 30-19.
• The Explorers have won the last two meetings against the Flyers. The Explorers earned a 62-60 win on Feb. 26, 2022 during their Senior Day and topped the Flyers, 67-65, at Dayton on Dec. 30, 2020.
• The Explorers have split the last 10 meetings with the Flyers dating back to Jan. 14, 2015.

COMING OFF THE BENCH

• The Explorers have one of the top benches in the country, as they are ranked 24th in the NCAA in bench points per game at 26.62 points per game. They also rank second in the A-10.
• The Explorers have seen their bench score over 30 points in a game nine times this season, including a whopping 58 points in their win over UMass on Feb. 11 and 40 against George Washington last Saturday.

CRASHING THE OFFENSIVE GLASS

• The Explorers are in the top 100 in all of NCAA when it comes to grabbing offensive rebounds, as they are ranked 70th in the country with 11.38 offensive rebounds per game.
• The Explorers have pulled down 11 or more offensive rebounds in a game 15 times this season, including a season-best 21 against George Washington last Saturday.
• Fousseyni Drame leads the team in offensive rebounds, averaging 2.2 per game.

SCOUTING DAYTON

• The Flyers are 19-10 and 11-5 in A-10 play losing to George Mason, 74-69, at home last Saturday. Before their loss to George Mason, the Flyers had won four straight games.
• The Flyers are tied for second in the A-10 standings with Saint Louis and Fordham.
• The Flyers are ranked in the top 25 in all of NCAA Division I in five categories: three-point percentage defense (sixth at 28.7), scoring defense (11th at 60.9 points per game), field goal percentage defense (11th at 39.3), fouls per game (12th at 13.9), and rebounding margin (23rd at 5.7).
• The Colonials have two players averaging double figures in DaRon Holmes II and Toumani Camara. Holmes II ranks fourth in the A-10 with 18.3 points per game, while Camara is tied for 17th in the conference with 13.9 points per game.
• Dayton is led by Anthony Grant, who is in his sixth season as head coach of the Flyers. Coaching his 15th season overall, Grant has a 121-62 record at Dayton and a 314-171 career record as a head coach.