The La Salle Explorers and the Saint Joseph’s Hawks meet Monday in college basketball action from Hagan Arena. La Salle is sitting at 5-8 on the year so far. The Explorers lost to St. Bonaventure in their last game. As for Saint Joseph’s, they’re currently 7-7 and fresh off a loss to Rhode Island. Check back all season long for free college basketball picks at Sports Chat Place.
La Salle went 5-4 coming out of the gate this year, taking losses to Sacred Heart, Delaware, Villanova and Temple along the way. The last four games have all been losses. The Explorers have fallen to Bucknell, Fordham, VCU and St. Bonaventure.
In the St. Bonaventure game back on January 11, the Explorers had a three-point lead at halftime. La Salle couldn’t hold on however and eventually lost 80-76 in overtime. Clifton Moore doubled on 17 points with 10 boards; Josh Nickelberry added 17 points as well.
Over on the Saint Joseph’s side, their first 10 games were a 6-4 stretch with losses to Drexel, Monmouth, USC and Villanova. It’s been a 1-3 run since then with losses to Bradley, Davidson and Rhode Island along the way.
In the Rhode Island game, the Hawks scored 37 points in the first half and 27 more from there in a 75-64 defeat. Leading the way on offense was Ejike Obinna with 18 points and 11 boards. Jordan Hall also doubled on 17 points with 10 rebounds.
The Hawks are 4-1 ATS in their last five at home and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 overall. The over is 17-8 in Saint Joseph’s last 25 after an ATS loss.
Meanwhile, the Explorers are 1-6-1 ATS in their last eight road games and 6-13-1 ATS in their last 20 overall. The over is 4-1 in La Salle’s last five overall.
PICK: I’m going to try Saint Joseph’s in this one. Probably staying away, though; neither team has played all that well lately. That said, the Hawks haven’t done too badly on the scoreboard over the last six games. They’ve hit 68 or more points in five of those (64 in the other). As for La Salle, I like them to get back to form and post a good points total here as well. Cover-wise Saint Joseph’s seems a better play to me, though.