Looking to Stay Perfect at Home, La Salle Hosts Charlotte

February 1, 2012 11:34 AM

(Explorers’ guard Tyreek Duren. File photo by Greg Carroccio, Sideline Photos)

Reporting Matt Leon

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By Matt Leon

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The La Salle Explorers are on a roll as they head into tonight’s game against Charlotte.

La Salle has won three straight, and they are a perfect 11-0 at home. Going back to last season, they have actually won 13 in a row at home.

Overall, the Explorers are 16-6. Their 5-2 record in the Atlantic 10 has them tied for first in the conference with UMass and St. Bonaventure.

Tonight, they put that all on the line against a 10-10 Charlotte squad that is 2-5 in the Atlantic 10.

La Salle head coach Dr. John Giannini says Charlotte has a fine player in their leading scorer, Chris Braswell, a 6’9″ junior forward.

“He posts up tremendously strong, he’s very physical. He really wants the ball. He scores consistently once he gets it down there. He can also face up, he makes some threes, he puts it on the floor.”

Hear Matt Leon’s full interview with Coach John Giannini in this CBS Philly SportsPod…

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Braswell averages 14.4 points per game this season. He also leads the team in rebounding at 7.4 per contest.

Giannini talks about what his squad needs to do tonight to win their 17th game this season:

“We really have to try and make it hard for Braswell to score. We have to try and keep the ball away from him as much as we possibly can. And then our defensive energy has to be at a very high level.”

La Salle has reached the 16-win plateau faster than any Explorers team since the 1990-91 squad turned the trick in 20 games.

KYW’s Matt Leon interviews La Salle play-by-play announce Kale Beers about the Explorers’ prospects against Charlotte tonight…