Just because La Salle and UMass arrive at Wednesday’s 7 p.m. game at Tom Gola Arena on three-game losing streaks doesn’t increase the urgency to win, said La Salle coach John Gianinni.
“If you asked all 14 coaches in the league, they’d all say their next game is an urgent one,” he said. “I’m not saying it’s not urgent. They all are. I don’t think the past has a lot to do with the future unless you’re really good or really bad. They are all 50-50 games. Whoever is the toughest or smartest will win.”
The Minutemen (12-10, 2-7 Atlantic 10) and Explorers (11-8, 5-3) are playing lineups that are considerably different than last year.
“Getting through tough times with new guys is a big deal. At the end of the day you need to play good basketball. You need to get key stops and key rebounds and do it without fouling, You have to avoid the bad shot of the bad turnover,” Gianinni said. “It comes down to those moments when you need those positive plays. Confidence is based on results. You’ve got to turn that corner and get a big win and feel better about yourself.”
UMass coach Derek Kellogg said increasing his team’s focus and intensity would go a long way.
“The mental approach has really been our focus to get these guys to realize how tough it is to win in this league,” Kellogg said. “It’s been a learning process. We can continue to talk and meet about it, but now you’ve got to step on the floor and do those things.”
La Salle had won five straight before its recent slide.
The Explorers added three transfers after playing with a thin roster most of last season.
Junior forward B.J. Johnson, a former Syracuse player, leads La Salle with 17.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Senior Jordan Price, who has been a prolific scorer in three years at La Salle, isn’t far behind at 17.2 points per game.
Ex-Memphis Tiger Pookie Powell has been a helpful addition with 13.4 points and 3.6 assists per game. He’s missed the last two games with a bone bruise and is day-to-day.
South Carolina transfer Demetrius Henry, a 6-foot-9 center, has been a role player off the bench averaging 6.2 points and 4.1 rebounds.
“They’ve had a good influx of talent. When they have their things going they’re as explosive as any team in our conference,” Kellogg said. “This will be a good, tough challenge for us on the road.”
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage