PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle men's basketball team begins its post-season journey on Wednesday as the Explorers take on the 11-seeded Massachusetts Minutemen in the first round of the Atlantic-10 Tournament hosted at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. This marks the final conference tournament in the illustrious career of head coach
Fran Dunphy.
The game will be nationally broadcast on USA Network. The game audio will also be streamed with Kale Beers providing play-by-play. Additionally, Explorers fans can follow the team on X/Twitter @LaSalle_MBB and Instagram @LaSalleMBB.
LAST TIME OUT - LA SALLE 81, SAINT JOSEPH'S 74
- After falling behind by a score of 14-6, La Salle exploded for a 12-0 run to take its first lead of the game. The teams traded leads until La Salle got to on a 10-3 run to take a lead they would hold for the rest of the game. The Explorers led 44-33 at the half.
- La Salle maintained a roughly ten-point advantage until the 11-minute marker in the second half when the comeback began.
- Saint Joseph's cut the lead to a single possession several times, but La Salle guard duo of Corey McKeithan and Deuce Jones fended off the Hawks at every turn. Jones sunk a critical three with just under four minutes left.
- La Salle scored seven of the final ten points to earn the win, 81-74.
- Jones' 27 points are the most by an Explorer freshman since at least 2000 and the most by any A-10 rookie this season.
NEWS AND NOTES
- Rebounding has been established as the Explorers' calling card this season. La Salle ranks fifth in the A-10 in rebounding (36.8), its most rebounds per game since 2010-11 (38.6). The Explorers rank in the top 100 nationally in the category. After the Immaculata game on Dec. 21, the Explorers have recorded two games with over 50 rebounds for the first time since 2011 (4).
- The Explorers are fifth in the conference both in turnover margin (+1.1) and in turnovers (10.8).
- McKeithan leads La Salle in scoring with 15.1 points, good for 13th in the conference. The guard has scored in double-figures in 11 of his last 12 games and eight consecutive outings. He surpassed 20 points for the second time in three games against the Hawks. It was his fourth 40 minute game of the season.
- Deuce Jones has dazzled in his rookie campaign. He holds the La Salle program record with his seven Atlantic-10 Rookie of the Week awards. The guard leads the A-10 in both points (12.5) and assists (2.7) per game by a freshman.
- White has impressed as of late. The graduate transfer forward is averaging double-figures over his last five games and is averaging 11.6 points and 9.0 rebounds in his last three. He is averaging 9.9 points and 6.3 rebounds on the year.
- Mac Etienne has started 14 games, including the last 13. The redshirt junior is averaging 5.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He recorded the first double-double of his career, with 13 points and 11 rebounds, the second straight game an Explorer reached double-figures in both categories.
- Tunde Vahlberg Fasasi has started the last three games. He set a career-high in minutes with 36 and a season-high with 13 points against St. Joseph's.
SCOUTING UMASS
- The Minutemen have rebounded after a non-conference slate that saw the squad earn a 5-8 record including two losses to NEC opponents. UMass has dropped six of its last seven games.
- Rahsool Diggins, the 2023-24 Most Improved Player in the A-10, leads the team with 16.9 points per game. Daniel Rivera is another player of note to watch, averaging 11.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
- Frank Martin is in his third season with UMass. He previously was at the helm of South Carolina where he led the team to the 2017 Final Four. Martin is 332-241 overall in career and 45-40 during his time in Amherst.
SERIES HISTORY AGAINST UMASS
- La Salle and UMass are longtime conference rivals. The Explorers joined the A-10 in 1995, while the Minutemen are founding members from 1976.
- The two have met 51 times, La Salle's fifth most-played non-Big-5 opponent in program history. UMass holds the series lead, 30-21.
- The two sides have met twice this season. The Minutemen have taken both matchups.
