La Salle Hosts Delaware In Home Opener Tonight

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The La Salle University Explorers will play their home opener on Tuesday night as they welcome the Delaware Blue Hens to Gola Arena.

The Explorers will be looking to bounce back from a season-opening 97-92 overtime loss to Temple in a Big 5 match-up at the Liacouras Center.

"We lost, I think, because of some defensive lapses, sometimes communication, sometimes losing individual battles," La Salle head coach Dr. John Giannini tells KYW Newsradio. "I thought they did not break down defensively, we had to earn everything we got, whereas I think we gave them some points they didn't have to work as hard for."

Listen to the entire interview with La Salle's Dr. John Giannini:

While the loss is disappointing, there is excitement about the 2016-17 Explorers. Leading scorer Jordan Price is back and three transfers are expected to play key roles in guard/forward B.J. Johnson, guard Pookie Powell and forward/center Demetrius Henry. Giannini says the list of contributors doesn't end there.

"The strength is in the depth and I do think we have talent," he says. "We have good attitudes and the kids want to win. So I think, right now, it's a matter of playing better basketball and of course the other challenge, when you have eleven players and they are all pretty good and some of them are used to playing a lot from last year, is being able to accept a role. Every role is important on a basketball team, every coach will tell you that, but some of our roles are a little bit different. We have to play a bit better basketball, but in terms of ability and attitude I think that we have the right ingredients to have a very good season."

On Tuesday night, the Explorers entertain a Delaware team with a new head coach in Archbishop Carroll High School product Martin Ingelsby.

"They had a great (63-49) win on the road at Bradley (Sunday) night, really won convincingly playing some great defense," Giannini says.

And he expects the 2-0 Blue Hens to challenge his team when they have the ball in this one.

"They are especially well-coached defensively," he says.

Tuesday's game will tip-off at 7pm.