Hempstead, NY – The Hofstra Men's Basketball team will continue its strong non-conference schedule on Wednesday when the Pride head to Philadelphia to face La Salle at 7 p.m. from Tom Gola Arena.
The game will be a homecoming for several members of the Hofstra program as Head Coach
Joe Mihalich is a 1978 graduate of La Salle, while seniors
Juan'ya Green and
Ameen Tanksley are both Philadelphia natives. Mihalich was also an assistant coach at La Salle from 1981-98.
There will be live video courtesy of La Salle for the game, as well as Pride Productions live audio and live statistics. Links can be found on this page and also via the men's basketball schedule page at GoHofstra.com.
Mihalich will be seeking career win No. 300 against his alma mater as he picked up win number 299 on Saturday as Hofstra rallied for an 89-83 win at St. Bonaventure. Mihalich has 34 wins at Hofstra in three seasons and won 265 as the head coach at Niagara for 15 seasons.
The Pride's strong non-conference schedule has already seen them face teams from the Atlantic Coast (Florida State), Southeastern (South Carolina) and Atlantic 10 (St. Bonaventure) conferences and Hofstra will add another road tilt at an Atlantic 10 program on Wednesday against the Explorers.
Hofstra is 4-2 for the second consecutive season under Mihalich after the six-point win over the Bonnies. Tanksley led the way with 24 points, while Green posted 23 points and nine assists. It was the Pride's first-ever win over St. Bonaventure after three defeats and it marked the first meeting since the 1992-93 campaign.
Wednesday will be the 21st all-time meeting between Hofstra and La Salle with the Explorers leading the series, 15-5. La Salle won the meeting last season in Hempstead, 83-74, and the first-ever meeting between the schools occurred during the 1968-69 season.
Mihalich is 1-2 all-time against his alma mater, defeating La Salle, 88-82, during the 2006-07 season and dropping a 77-74 decision during the 1998-99 campaign.
Four players average in double figures for Hofstra with Green on top with 19.8 points, while also averaging 7.5 assists per outing. Tanksley ranks second with 16.3 points per game and is pulling down 5.3 caroms per contest. Also in double figures in junior guard
Brian Bernardi (13.3) and graduate forward
Denton Koon (12.7). Koon ranks third in rebounding (6.8) behind sophomore center
Rokas Gustys (8.7 rpg) and senior forward
Malik Nichols (7.5 rpg).
La Salle is 4-1 this season with wins over Towson, Rider, Lafayette and Rowan. Their lone loss was at Penn. Jordan Price leads the Explorers with 25 points per game, while Cleon Roberts is second at 13.2 and Johnnie Shuler averages 11.8 points per game. Tony Washington is the top rebounder on the team with 8.3 per contest, while also adding nine points per game.
The game against La Salle is the lone contest out of the state of New York for Hofstra during an eight-game stretch from November 28 – December 31. The Pride close the stretch with three home games but prior to that has four road games (including St. Bonaventure and La Salle) and a neutral site contest at Madison Square Garden against Appalachian State.
The game at the World's Most Famous Arena will occur on Sunday, December 6 with tip slated for approximately 1 p.m. It will be the second game of a doubleheader as St. John's will face St. Francis Brooklyn at 11 a.m. For ticket information visit HofstraTickets.com, call (516) HOF-TIXX or visit the Hofstra Athletics Box Office in the lobby of the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.
