Halftime Report
Only one more half stands between Massachusetts and the win they were favored to collect coming into this afternoon. They have jumped out to a quick 33-25 lead against La Salle.
Massachusetts came into the match with some extra motivation after the loss they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We’ll see if they’re able to flip the script or if it’ll just be more of the same.
Who’s Playing
La Salle Explorers @ Massachusetts Minutemen
Current Records: La Salle 10-7, Massachusetts 7-11
How To Watch
- When: Sunday, January 19, 2025 at 2 p.m. ET
- Where: Mullins Center — Amherst, Massachusetts
- TV: USA Network
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $6.12
What to Know
After two games on the road, Massachusetts is heading back home. They and the La Salle Explorers will face off in an Atlantic 10 battle at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday at Mullins Center. We saw both of these teams recently pull out wins they weren’t expected to get, so we’ll see who gives it right back.
Massachusetts is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 120-118 win over Fordham on Wednesday. With that victory, the Minutemen brought their scoring average up to 76.1 points per game.
Rahsool Diggins and Daniel Rivera were among the main playmakers for Massachusetts as the former went 8 for 13 from beyond the arc en route to 46 points plus six rebounds and two blocks and the latter dropped a double-double on 29 points and 12 rebounds. What’s more, Diggins also posted a 61.5% three-point shooting accuracy, which is the highest he’s posted since back in March of 2024.
Massachusetts smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 22 offensive rebounds. That’s the most offensive rebounds they’ve managed all season.
Meanwhile, La Salle hadn’t done well against Davidson recently (they were 2-8 in their previous ten matchups), but they didn’t let the past get in their way on Wednesday. La Salle narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past Davidson 79-76. The victory was all the more spectacular given the Explorers were down by 17 with 4:40 left in the first half.
La Salle’s win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Deuce Jones, who went 9 for 14 en route to 23 points plus five assists and three steals. Jones is trending in the right direction considering he’s improved his point production for three straight games. Daeshon Shepherd was another key player, posting 19 points.
Massachusetts’ win bumped their record up to 7-11. As for La Salle, the victory made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 10-7.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Massachusetts has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 39.2 rebounds per game. However, it’s not like La Salle struggles in that department as they’ve been averaging 38.9. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we’ll see if one team can grab an edge.
Massachusetts and La Salle were neck-and-neck in their previous matchup back in February of 2024, but Massachusetts came up empty-handed after an 82-81 defeat. Will Massachusetts have more luck at home instead of on the road?
Odds
Massachusetts is a slight 2.5-point favorite against La Salle, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 2.5-point spread, and stayed right there.
The over/under is 156 points.
See college basketball picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Series History
Massachusetts has won 7 out of their last 10 games against La Salle.
- Feb 17, 2024 – La Salle 82 vs. Massachusetts 81
- Jan 10, 2024 – Massachusetts 81 vs. La Salle 65
- Feb 11, 2023 – La Salle 86 vs. Massachusetts 72
- Jan 11, 2023 – La Salle 78 vs. Massachusetts 77
- Feb 19, 2022 – Massachusetts 80 vs. La Salle 74
- Jan 26, 2022 – Massachusetts 77 vs. La Salle 71
- Jan 09, 2021 – Massachusetts 83 vs. La Salle 67
- Dec 16, 2020 – Massachusetts 85 vs. La Salle 66
- Mar 04, 2020 – Massachusetts 75 vs. La Salle 64
- Jan 08, 2020 – Massachusetts 77 vs. La Salle 69
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