Team of the Week: LaSalle

Okay, Villanova had a pretty damn good week, too, beating two top-5 teams. But...did you know who already beat the Wildcats this year? LaSalle and LaSalle beat #9 Butler and #19 VCU on the road last night.

LaSalle currently has a RPI of 27 and is 55 in KenPom. They're 63rd in AdjO and 55th in AdjD. They're not special on offense but they protect the ball, 17.3% TO% on offense which is 27th in the nation. They struggle to get to the line, 31.4% FTA/FGA, which is 273rd in the nation and they're below average on the offensive glass with an offfensive rebound# of 30.1%, 228th. They average 71 pts per game.

They're a solid defensive club. They can guard without fouling. They're defensive FTA/FGA is 29.1%, 52nd best. They're TO% is 22.8, above average and 63rd overall. Teams don't make 3's against them. Defensive 3PA/FGA is 24.9% which is 5th best. Teams only make 20% of them. Teams only get 17.2% of their points at the line against them. They're average on the boards and VCU was able to get to the glass against them last night.

The Explorers best player is a South Carolina transfer, Senior G Ramon Galloway who scores 17.2 ppg and gets about 2.5 steals per game. Galloway has and effective fg% of 51.7. They also have another transfer, Tyrone Garland (VaTech) who has played only 12 games this year and is averaging 13.2 per game. Another G, JR. Tyreek Duren scores 14.5ppg. SOPH F Jerrell Wright gets 10 & 6 a game and shoots 54%. Garland was held to single digits the last two games but a quick look at his numbers along with Galloway and they could have a nice 3 headed guard attack as they move through conference play.

LaSalle has a chance to stay in the mix for an at-large bid if they can keep playing well in conference (No small task in the A-10). They have a real bad loss on their resume to Central Connecticut State who is in the 200's for RPI but other losses are to top 75 teams including at Bucknell & Miami(FL). The win at home against Butler and at VCU are very good. They'll need to follow it up, though. There is no let up the rest of the way and the margin for error in the A-10 looks to be small with many good teams.