La Salle Explorers
Atlantic 10 (18-13, 9-7)
Seed: #
RPI: 112
Big Wins: 12/17 Rider (92-75), 2/26 at Temple (70-63), 3/7 at St. Louis (68-62)
Bad Losses: 11/22 vs Southern Miss (72-76), 2/7 at St. Bonaventure (67-72), 2/18 Richmond (53-62)
Coach: John Giannini
Probable Starters:
Ruben Guillandeaux, Junior, Guard, 10.4 ppg, 3.1 apg
Rodney Green, Junior, Guard, 17.8 ppg, 3.4 apg, 5.0 rpg
Kimmani Barrett, Junior, Forward, 11.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg
Yves Mekongo Mbala, Junior, Forward, 10.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg
Vernon Goodridge, Junior, Forward, 6.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.6 bpg
Key Roleplayers:
Paul Johnson, Senior, Forward, 4.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg
Darryl Partin, Sophomore, Guard, 4.6 ppg
Jerrell Williams, Sophomore, Forward, 6.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg
Terrell Williams, Sophomore, Forward, 2.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg
Why They Can Surprise:
La Salle always hits the glass hard and their success in the rebounding department is in large part due to a deep and talented crop of forwards. Kimmani Barrett is more of a wing than a forward, but the 6-6 junior is a mainstay in the starting lineup at the small forward spot. He is a versatile scorer who gives the Explorers plenty of size on the wing. Like Barrett, Yves Mekongo Mbala is an effective scorer who can hit the long ball and use his size to attack the basket. Mekongo Mbala is recovering from a broken hand and Coach John Giannini will need him to be at full strength during the tournament.
Vernon Goodridge, a transfer from Mississippi State, mans the five spot. The 6-9 junior is not much of a scorer, but he will get on the glass and block a few shots. Those three are good, effective starters, but the Explorers do not lose much production when they need to go to the bench. Jerrell and Terrell Williams are both tough rebounders and Jerrell has developed into a decent scoring threat in the paint who can also step out and hit the mid-range jumper. Paul Johnson, one of the few seniors on the roster, is a versatile player who will use his toughness to grab 4.1 rebounds per contest.
Why They Can Disappoint:
The backcourt has some scoring options, but this is not a great group of shooters, nor do they handle the ball particularly well. Rodney Green and Ruben Guillandeaux will have the ball in their hands a majority of the time and do a solid job finding their teammates, but the turnovers are a problem. Green commits 3.2 turnovers per game and that number has to come down. Guillandeaux has much better numbers in the turnover department, but he must put his teammates in a better position to hang onto the ball.
Who To Watch:
The backcourt is about a lot more than turnovers. Green and Guillandeaux are both 6-5 and they will be bigger than just about every backcourt they play. That makes it difficult for the opposition to shoot over them and that can make a big difference. Green is also the team’s best scorer. He is a capable outside shooter, but will do most of his damage attacking the basket. Guillandeaux is the most prolific outside shooter on the team, but he also has the ability to drive the lane and finish. Darryl Partin is an intriguing option on the perimeter. Coach Giannini rewarded Partin with a start late in the season and he stepped up and scored an amazing 30 points against Massachusetts in early March. For a player that has not reached double figure scoring before that point, 30 points is extremely impressive. If Partin can keep it up, La Salle can have a dangerous offense.
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 71.6 (108th in nation, 4th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 69.1 (203, 8)
Field-Goal Percentage: 44.4 (139, 8)
Field-Goal Defense: 43.4 (177, 10)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 5.5 (239, 11)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 34.2 (153, 8)
Free-Throw Percentage: 68.5 (180, 7)
Rebound Margin: 5.2 (34, 2)
Assists Per Game: 13.2 (151, 10)
Turnovers Per Game: 14.3 (202, 11)
Joel’s Bracket Says:
