PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle men's basketball team opens the second season of Big 5 pod play at the Drexel Dragons on Saturday afternoon. The Explorers will be looking to build off their best start with the 2005-06 season, winning the first three games of their season by double digits.
The game will be streamed on FloSports. Explorers fans can listen to the game for free on GoExplorers.com, with Kale Beers, Richard Prendergast, and Bron Holland providing play-by-play and color commentary. Additionally, Explorers fans can follow the team on X/Twitter @LaSalle_MBB and Instagram @LaSalleMBB.
NEWS & NOTES
- La Salle has had one of its best starts in the modern era this season. La Salle defeated the Cornell Big Red, 93-77 on Tuesday to close out a three game homestand to open the season. It is the largest margin of victory La Salle has had over an Ivy League opponent since taking down Penn, 84-67 on Dec. 30, 2014 (eight games)
- Transfers Corey McKeithan and Demetrius Lilley both set new career-highs in scoring against Cornell. McKeithan made headlines, vaulting past his previous career-high of 18 points to pour in 25 against the Big Red, the most of any Explorer this season.
- Lilley also put forth a tremendous effort, doubling up his previous career-high of 8 to add 16 points to addition to grabbing seven boards.
- Five players reached double figures contributing to the most points La Salle has scored since reaching 107 against Rosemont last season.
- In a stark contrast to last season, the Explorers have dominated the glass so far this campaign. In all three contests to open the season, La Salle has held a significant advantage in rebounding, with the highlight being 52 rebounds against Lafayette, the most the team has grabbed in a regulation game since 2011.
- La Salle ranks near the top of the conference in several statistical categories. The Explorers are first in rebound margin (+14.3), second in rebounds per game (43.7), second in scoring defense (63.0 points allowed), and third in the A-10 in three point percentage (.352).
- White has arguably been the most complete player on the roster. He is second on the team both in points (12.3 ppg) and rebounds (7.7), while shooting .650 from the field. The Temple transfer recorded the seventh double-double of his career last Saturday against Lafayette, posting 16 points and 13 rebounds.
SCOUTING DREXEL
- Drexel opens the season looking to build off a 20-win campaign last time around. The Dragons lost a majority of their production from a season ago, but also added strong pieces in the portal and returns several bench players.
- The newest members of the Big 5 began the season 2-1, with large margin victories over Georgian Court and Colgate. The squad fell on the road to Temple in a Big 5 clash Tuesday, 69-61.
- Zach Spiker enters his ninth season on the bench for the Dragons. The 2023-24 Big 5 Coach of the Year is 217-243 in his career and 115-131 in University City. He has led Drexel to four straight winning seasons.
- Guard Kobe Magee has exploded onto the scene this season. After playing a reduced role on the bench last year, MaGee is the top scorer on the Dragons' roster, pouring in 19.7 points per contest. Forward Cole Hargrove is another player making an outsized impact in a larger role. The Norristown native is scoring 13 points and grabbing 9.7 rebounds per game.
SERIES HISTORY AGAINST DREXEL
- La Salle and Drexel have met 33 times on the court, the Explorers holding a 25-8 series advantage.
- The two sides first met in 1945 when Drexel was a member of the NCAA college division.
- Last season, La Salle hosted Drexel to open the season and open the Dragons' time as an official member of the Philadelphia Big 5. La Salle won that contest, 67-51.
