La Salle Explorers
Date: Saturday February 1st, 2025
Time: 2:30 PM ET
Venue: John Glaser Arena (Philadelphia, PA)
TV: USA Network
Ranks: 198th (KenPom), 206th (Bart Torvik), 208th (Haslametrics), 207th (EvanMiya)
2023-24 Record: 16-17, 6-12 (T-10th in A10)
2024-25 Projected Record: 14-17, 6-12 (13th in A10)

Head-to-Head: 27-21, although the Explorers have won three straight, four of the past five matchups, and five of the last seven meetings. The two teams faced each other three times during the 2023-24 season.

In the first meeting at home, the Explorers won 80-70. Fran's crew went into halftime with a four point lead and only added to their advantage in the second half. Despite being the road team, La Salle was not phased at all, knocking down 10 threes at a 53% clip and converting on 30 field goals via 15 assists. Their front court of Jocius and Fasasi faced foul trouble (and GW certainly had the height advantage down low) but the Revs were unable to capitalize. The Buff and Blue made only three triples all game (including none in the final 12 minutes when attempting to come back). Ultimately, the away team's backcourt outplayed GW, as Max had one of his no-shows. Jun led all scorers with 24 points and 12 rebounds, JB added 17, and Jacoi finished with 10 off the bench.

The Revs also found themselves trying to play catchup in the matchup in Philadelphia. GW shot the ball better (39% from distance), but unfortunately injuries led to fatigue late in the game. The Revs went just six deep, and the sixth man was benny Schroder, who never really found himself on the court in his short time in Foggy Bottom. Similar to the first game, GW was just unable to move the ball well against the Explorer defense, finishing with just six assists for the game. The Buff and Blue were right there - down just 2 with a minute and change left in the game but didn't score again until a couple of inconsequential JB jumpers at the very end of the game. Funnily enough the same three Revs finished in double figures again. Jun led the way with 21 points/8 rebounds, JB pitched in with 18 points of his own, and Jacoi (now in the starting lineup) had 15.

The third matchup of the season came in the opening round of the A10 tournament. GW changed the script in the first half this time around, jumping out to a seven point lead before the intermission. With just under two minutes to go, Jun knocked down a massive three in the corner to put GW up 1. Jhamir Brickus, really a GW killer during all of the matchups last year, nailed a midrange jumper with 20 seconds to go to help La Salle regain the lead but missed the and-one from a foul committed by Jacoi. JB unfortunately was unable to get his final two tries in a GW uniform to go on the final possession, ending the season. Looking back now, that final play was emblematic of the team's issues offensively last year. They were good shooting from outside, but were never able to consistently get good looks near the hoop and convert them. I feel JB could have attacked the hoop instead of settling for a jumper. La Salle spoiled a good shooting day for the Revs, who made 10 threes at a 44% clip but they were a brutal 7/26 (26.9%) inside the arc. JB had 19 points in his final game, Jun added 14 points/6 rebounds/6 assists, and Max scored 10 points off the bench to go with nine rebounds.

Offensive Efficiency: 233rd (KenPom), 259th (Bart Torvik), 245th (Haslametrics), 251st (EvanMiya)
Defensive Efficiency: 153rd (KenPom), 147th (Bart Torvik), 138th (Haslametrics), 149th (EvanMiya)
Pace: 49th (KenPom), 49th (Bart Torvik), 53rd (Haslametrics), 39th (EvanMiya)
Offensive Shot Quality Rank: 204th
Defensive Shot Quality Rank: 156th
Rim & 3 Rate: 77% (309th)

Strengths (2024-25 Season):
Rebounds Per Game: 38.4 RPG (58th)
Offensive Rebounds Per Game: 12.4 ORPG (69th)
Turnovers Per Game: 11 TO/G (80th)
Fastbreak Points: 12.4 PPG (82nd)
Three Point Percentage Defense: 31.5% (92nd)
Defensive Rebounds Per Game: 26 DRPG (94th)

Weaknesses (2024-25 Season):
Scoring Defense: 74.9 PPG (274th)
Assists Per Game: 12.3 APG (280th)
Field Goal Percentage: 42.2% (304th)
Effective Field Goal Percentage: 47.7% (316th)

Projected Starting Lineup:
#2 G Corey McKeithan (Graduate Student; Windsor, CT) - 15.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1 spg; 42% FG, 38% 3-PT, 88% FT per 33.4 mpg/21 GP
#24 G Deuce Jones (Freshman; Trenton, NJ) - 11.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.5 spg; 41% FG, 31% 3-PT, 68% FT per 26 mpg/21 GP
#13 G Daeshon Shepherd (Senior; Norristown, PA) - 11.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1 spg; 42% FG, 28% 3-PT, 74% FT per 32 mpg/21 GP
#1 G/F Jahlil White (Graduate Student; Whitesboro, NJ) - 9.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2 apg, 1.5 spg; 42% FG, 26% 3-PT, 64% FT per 27.4 mpg/20 GP
#21 F Mac Etienne (RS Junior; New York, NY) - 4.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg; 63% FG, 60% FT per 14.1 mpg/21 GP

Key Bench Players:
#14 F Demetrius Lilley (Junior; Philadelphia, PA) - 8.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg; 40% FG, 31% 3-PT, 72% FT per 21.1 mpg/19 GP
#34 G/F Tunde Vahlberg Fasasi (Sophomore; Stockholm, Sweden) - 5.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg; 45% FG, 35% 3-PT, 75% FT per 18.6 mpg/21 GP
#3 G Eric Acker (Sophomore; East New York, NY) - 7.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 2.1 apg; 49% FG, 33% 3-PT, 39% FT per 18.5 mpg/11 GP
#0 G Andrés Marrero (RS Junior; Caracas, Venezuela) - 4.4 ppg, 2 rpg, 1.5 apg; 31% FG, 28% 3-PT, 88% FT per 16.4 mpg/20 GP

Key Losses:
Khalil Brantley (Transferred to Oklahoma State; Bronx, NY) - 15 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.5 spg; 39% FG, 33% 3-PT, 76% FT per 35.9 mpg/33 GP
Jhamir Brickus (Transferred to Villanova; Coatesville, PA) - 13.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.8 apg, 1.2 spg; 43% FG, 40% 3-PT, 86% FT per 36.5 mpg/33 GP
Anwar Gill (Transferred to Howard; Washington, DC) - 9.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1 spg; 42% FG, 24% 3-PT, 73% FT per 26 mpg/29 GP
Rokas Jocius (Transferred to UCF; Kaunas, Lithuania) - 8.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg; 56% FG, 39% 3-PT, 48% FT per 23.2 mpg/33 GP

Preview:
Fran Dunphy has done a very admirable job keeping things afloat at La Salle at the ripe age of 76. It's no secret that his alma mater is going through some challenges financially which has no doubt hurt their chances on the court in the NIL era. The Explorers have been picked in the bottom three of the A10 preseason poll five consecutive years. Both this season and last they were picked to finish dead last. From a roster talent perspective, the placement may be somewhat justified but counting Dunphy out is simply foolish. This is a guy who has won 10 Ivy League Championships at Penn, has had success in the A10 previously at Temple, and has taken home four coach of the year awards in his head coaching career with over 600 wins next to his name. Winning 31 games overall and 13 conference games between his first two seasons back at his hold stomping grounds has to be considered a success. The ceiling may not be high given what he has to work with but the floor is certainly higher than some other programs in the league.

How much Dunphy has left in the tank is unclear. He's taking it year by year, hoping to put the program in good hands once he ultimately decides to hang it up. Personally, it's very creditable that he took on the challenge of fielding a competitive team in this new era but he knows that La Salle will need to put their best foot forward in order to have a fighting chance moving forward. He has helped ensure that La Salle's basketball arena get renovated. Their home court is now named the John Glaser Arena after the major donor of the project (unfortunately it was GW that handed the Explorers their final win on their old court, Tom Gola last season).

The Explorers had perhaps the most underrated backcourt duo in the A10 the past few years which helped them overcome some shortcomings in the frontcourt. It was a headache for opponents to slow down both Khalil Brantley and Jhamir Brickus, Both guards were great passers (top 125 nationally/two of the five best in the A10), call their number when needed, and were very durable in general. It was rare to see either sub out for long periods of time. In fact, Brickus played the most minutes in the A10 last year (16th nationally) and Brantley was right behind him at #2 in mpg (35th nationally). Brantley opting to go to Oklahoma State was interesting. The Cowboys were clearly going to be in rebuild mode under a new coach this year, but I guess playing in the Big 12 was too enticing to pass up. Brickus moving to Villanova makes more sense. He gets to stay in Philly and play for a storied program. On the year, he's averaging 11 ppg and over 49% from 3 for the Wildcats.

Losing Anwar Gill and Rokas Jocius were also notable losses as well. Gill was never a flashy player, but he stuffed the stat sheet and did the little things well. He's now back home in DC playing for nearby Howard. Jocius transferring may have been the most confusing of the four. He had a nice shooting stroke, rebounded at a good clip, and could protect the rim a bit but he did not strike me as a Big 12 level player. It was even more confusing to see him end up at UCF which is a weird fit both culturally and for his skillset (the team has a lot of talent, but many of their players have some baggage off the court). Jocius probably would have been better served staying put in Philly, but it's hard to pass up the chance to earn extra.

It's tough for any team to recover after losing four of their top five scorers from the previous season yet La Salle is still above .500 heading into Saturday's game. The Explorers went a respectable 8-5 OOC, beating American to begin the year by 13 (something GW could not do), defeating fellow opponent Lafayette by 21, and even taking out local rival/ex-A10 foe Temple (they also played St. Joe's in the Big 5 Classic, meaning that they will be facing the Hawks three times in the regular season). La Salle was even competitive with UC San Diego, one of the better mid-majors in the country. In conference play, they have defeated St. Bonaventure (on a game-winner) and notched close wins over Davidson and Rhody. Overall, their conference results suggest that they will either win a close one or get blown out. Hopefully for GW it will be the latter.

Dunphy's squad has notably turned up the tempo this season, currently ranking top 50 in pace. This year's team is the fastest at the school since some of John Giannini's squads in the early 2010s. Despite playing more uptempo, they have continued to take good care of the ball (49th in offensive turnover percentage). Without Brickus and Brantley around, they are not as much of a perimeter-focused team, often looking to attack downhill in the halfcourt or in transition (although converting inside/getting to the line has also been a challenge). As you can tell from the "rim & 3 rate" metric above, they are prone to taking midrange shots more than they should. Defensively, it should come as no surprise that they are fundamentally strong. They defensive rebound well and keep teams off the line. Unfortunately, interior defense woes have continued to plague them as La Salle's opponents are shooting nearly 55% from inside the arc (309th nationally per KenPom).

With a number of key players from last year out of the fold, Dunphy knew he had to be a little more active in the transfer portal this offseason. Still, a solid nucleus of returners remain. Daeshon Shepherd nearly joined the aforementioned quartet in the portal for the second straight season but once again decided to return to Explorer Town. He plays with high motor and is always a threat to generate extra opportunities for his squad by crashing the glass on both sides of the ball. His three point shot has never come across consistently but his length and athleticism on the wing is a real asset. Shepherd has finished in double figures in six of eight conference games thus far. For La Salle to win, he will likely need to approach his season average of 11.4 ppg.

A couple of international perimeter threats in Andrés Marrero (Venezuela) and Tunde Vahlberg Fasasi (Sweden) will also play key roles in the rotation. Marrero is slumping this year from distance (just 28%) but his experience and leadership are assets. He was the student representative for La Salle during A10 Media Day back in October. Marrero's minutes have gone down in conference play (plays roughly four minutes a game). The last game he played 10+ minutes against D1 competition was mid-December. Fasasi meanwhile is a career 35% three point shooter. He put up 19 at the Smith Center last year, which is his highest scoring output against D1 competition in his career. Fasasi averages 8 ppg in La Salle's three conference wins. In the five losses, he averages just 2 ppg. He may very well be an x-factor for the game. In a pinch, Ryan Zan may be called upon to play spot minutes up front. He is capable of making an open shot from the midrange and closer to the hoop.

In the backcourt, Rider transfer Corey McKeithan and LIU import Eric Acker have helped to replace some of the production left behind by the "killer B's". McKeithan is one of the biggest surprises in the A10 this year. He has become a go-to scorer for their team (ranks 98th nationally in field goal attempts). He became a full-time starter for the Broncs last year and has nearly doubled his scoring output for the second consecutive season. The MAAC transfer leads the Explorers in scoring (15.6 ppg) and assists (2.9 apg, with an assist to turnover ratio over 2), highlighting his importance for creating shots in the offense. McKeithan is also a good shooter, making 38% of attempts from deep and 88% from the line. Acker was named to the all-rookie team in the NEC last season. He is another shifty guard who is curiously shooting just 39% from the FT line on the year (5/13). Part of that might be working his way back to full speed after being sidelined the first ten games of the season. Acker finished in double figures just once in January.

Temple transfer/versatile wing Jahlil White, former Penn State forward Demetrius Lilley, and DePaul/UCLA big Mac Etienne have helped La Salle become a more balanced team on offense.

White was a good get for the Explorers, as he averaged double figures for the Owls last season. He has taken on the Gill role of the team. White may not be a prolific shooter (he's taken just six total threes in A10 play), but he is very adept at attacking the basket, moving the ball, rebounding at a high rate, and playing stout defense. He had a double-double (11 points, 12 rebounds) against his former squad back in November. One thing to note is his propensity for getting into foul trouble, as he's had at least four fouls in 75% of conference games thus far. He can also be a bit sloppy with turnovers.

Lilley has started over Etienne for much of the year, but the former player has been sidelined the past two games due to a lower body injury and is questionable for the game Saturday. The ex-Nittany Lion leads La Salle in rebounding (7.1 rpg) and can stretch the floor (31% from deep on the year). His overall shot selection could stand to improve, like much of the team. He is prone to taking jumpers instead of attacking the hoop which explains the fact that he's under 40% from the field overall (bad for a forward).

Etienne was a former top-50 four-star player but hadn't really developed at his previous two stops. His most notable moment at UCLA was getting arrested for spitting at Arizona fans. Not playing much for a bottom 60 DePaul squad that won three games all year in 2023-24 suggested that he might just be a bust. Dunphy has been able to get good minutes from him at La Salle though, as Etienne has been an efficient finisher near the rim and good rebounder (especially on the offensive end).

Finally, true freshman Deuce Jones has played a large role for the Explorers right away. He banked home the game-winning shot against St. Bonaventure a few weeks back and is a favorite to take home rookie of the year honors in the A10 (of course I think GW's Jones is also worthy of the award). If La Salle is able to hold on to him for a couple years, they certainly have a chance to move up in the A10 with him leading the way. Jones has dealt with some turnovers as you'd expect from a freshman, but he has a very smooth offensive game overall and quick hands on defense. He prefers to attack the basket and get to the FT line. In the past six games, he has averaged 16.7 ppg with at least 10 shots attempted in each contest. In the last two games in particular he has attempted 23 combined FTs. With the Explorers being at home for tomorrow's game, it will be interesting to see just how many FT attempts he has tomorrow. GW doesn't tend to foul too much, but La Salle will have the benefit of the home whistle.

Saturday's game feels like a bit of a trap game. La Salle knocked off GW all three times last year, which suggests that Dunphy has CC's number and the Explorers are also coming off a very disappointing performance against Fordham. Winning on the road will be tough, and the Revs will need to keep their shooting up from the last game. What's concerning is La Salle's strength is on the glass, which is what gave GW fits in the UMass game - easily their worst performance in conference play. It would definitely help if Lilley remains out. The keys will be limiting their transition looks and preventing penetration in the halfcourt. Jun and Jacoi both had great games against La Salle last year - hopefully they can have a similar impact for this game and leave Glaser with the final 'pow'.

Projected Score: GW 73, La Salle 72. 54% chance to win (KenPom). Bart Torvik predicts a 55% GW victory. ESPN gives the Revs a 42.7% chance at a W.
 

DMV, you put together the best summaries.  I am going to the game today, and it always makes me feel unsettled.  I have watched games where GW hasn't scored more than a handful of points deep into first half.  Hopefully today will be different.  This will be my first shot at seeing the team live, but my observations, so far give me some confidence.  Mainly there is a "never give up" mentality with this team.  In past few years when things started going bad it seemed our guys couldn't stop the freefall.  This year, even in losses, there hasn't been a game where the team didn't fight until the end.  

Hope you are right. Got to see the game last Sat. and hoping yo watch a win on national YV

The GW/LaSalle record is 25-23 GW

https://goexplorers.com/documents/2025/1/31/2024-25_La_Salle_MBB_Game_22_Notes_vs._GW.pdf

Shooting very well from the field but once again FT shooting is an issue. Their guards are getting into the paint with ease and we're having some issues with offensive rebounds again. 

Drumgoole and Hansen having very nice offensive games. CJ struggling shooting the ball as he's getting himself caught deep in the paint at times (as many of you have pointed out in the past).

If we can clamp down on the boards and force them outside a little more we should have a good shot at this game.

Up by 3 and Jones and Drumgoole long 3 pointers early in clock.
Passing had made us successful.

and CJ needs to take an unforced layup with two hands instead of just throwing it up with one hand and missing......

I'll never understand this team. They might be the streakiest team I've seen at GW in a while. One night they'll look like they can beat anyone in the conference, the next they look pedestrian and pillow-fight ready.

The most frustrating part about this game is they shot the ball well from the field. Caputo needs to start and end every practice for the rest of the year with FT shooting w/ Castro and basic instruction on how to not get yourself stuck underneath the basket with CJ. Add boxing out to that as well as we gave up 16 offensive boards which must have led to at least 20 second chance points.

LaSalle had no business winning this game, we handed it to them.

Big sigh!

God! I’ve had seasons since I’m pretty sure ‘91. When GW can matchup physically and I’d say 75% of the  games are just like this! Nearly always a rock fight

Very disappointing last 5 minutes

And why was Hutchinson getting so many 2nd half minutes?