GAME NOTES: The La Salle Explorers try to stop a four-game losing streak when they head across town to battle the Drexel Dragons at the Daskalakis Center on Saturday afternoon.

La Salle is coming off a 58-57 loss at The Palestra to Big 5 rival Temple one week ago, while the University of Sciences scored a 54-52 upset of the Dragons on Dec. 4.

The Explorers will be traveling the short distance to play at the DAC for the first time since March 3, 1983. The teams have not played each other since Dec. 3, 2005 at The Palestra in the Big 5 Classic Triple-header. La Salle has won the last five encounters between the teams with Drexel's last victory coming Dec. 20, 1997 at The Palestra.

The Explorers hold a commanding 20-4 lead in the all-time series.

Last Saturday, Jerrell Wright posted a team-high 15 points to go along with eight rebounds for the Explorers in their tight loss to the Owls. Jordan Price was next in line with 13 points, while Khalid Lewis and Cleon Roberts each scored 12 in the loss. Steve Zack (3 points) collected a game-high 13 rebounds and three blocks.

Price, who leads the Explorers in scoring at 16.1 points per contest, has made 31 of his last 36 free throws over his last six games. The sophomore is, however, shooting only 36.8 percent from the field, including an 11-of-43 showing from 3-point range. Lewis (7.6 ppg) has played well in his last two contests and is averaging 14.5 points in that span. Wright (12.5 ppg) is the only other Explorer averaging in double figures. Steve Zack (7.9 ppg, 8.3 rpg) paced the Atlantic 10 Conference in double-doubles (14), and he ranked 22nd nationally last season. This time around, Zack is making only 37.7 percent from the field.

The Dragons suffered a heart-breaking loss in their last game when Garret Kerr drained a 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds remaining to give University of Sciences the shocking win. Drexel shot just 36 percent from the field and went 3-of-15 from beyond the arc. Damion Lee led Drexel with 17 points. Rodney Williams had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Lee (20.4 ppg) is the only player averaging double digits in scoring for the Dragons, although Rodney Williams (9.4 ppg, 7.9 rpg)) and Tavon Allen (9.0 ppg) are close. Freshman Rashann London (5.7 ppg) has been pressed into action due to injuries to other players. Freshman guard Sooren Derboghosian, a graduate student from UCLA, posted career-highs of nine points and seven rebounds in Drexel's last game.

The Explorers are 12th out of 14 teams in the A-10 in scoring at 60.9 ppg. Drexel, at 55.0 ppg, is next-to-last in scoring in the Colonial Athletic Association. La Salle has the offensive weapons to turn this contest into a dominating victory.

Expect a much better performance offensively from the Explorers in this contest.