GAME NOTES: The La Salle Explorers and the Saint Joseph's Hawks, Atlantic 10 Conference and Philadelphia rivals, will collide this evening at The Palestra, one of college basketball's most storied venues. La Salle has been tremendously inconsistent this season, as it currently owns a 10-13 overall record and a 4-5 mark against league opposition. The Explorers have been idle since last Wednesday when they took a break from conference play to knock of NJIT, 87-65. Obviously, tonight's game marks a major leap in competition. As for Saint Joseph's, it is 16-7 this season and 7-3 in A-10 action. The Hawks' quest for the conference championship suffered a bit of a setback with back-to-back losses to Duquesne and Xavier on the road, but they got back to their winning ways on Wednesday with an 81-56 decision over Saint Bonaventure. Saint Joseph's owns a 63-48 series lead over La Salle, and the Explorers haven't won a game in the series since 2001.

The leading scorer for La Salle is Darnell Harris, as he is posting 15.8 ppg on the strength of his 49.4 percent shooting from three-point range. The only other double-digit scorer in the mix for the Explorers is Rodney Green, who is posting 13.3 ppg. La Salle is generating 75.0 ppg while allowing the opposition to score 73.2 ppg. Taking a look at the 22-point romp over NJIT last time out, La Salle connected on 50 percent of its field goal attempts and limited its overmatched opponent to 34.4 percent shooting from the floor. The Explorers also forced 20 turnovers and scored 25 points at the foul line. Five players reached double figures in scoring in the victory, and Green paced the balanced attack with 14 points. Harris added 13 points, Kimmani Barrett and Paul Johnson added 11 points apiece, and Sherman Diaz rounded out the group with 10 points.

Saint Joseph's possesses a legitimate A-10 Player of the Year candidate in Pat Calathes, who may be the league's most versatile forward. A 6-10 performer with the skills of both a guard and a forward, Calathes is netting 18.3 ppg to go along with 8.0 rpg, 63 assists, 31 blocks and 31 steals. He has outshined his more-hyped teammate Ahmad Nivins, who is contributing 14.1 ppg and 6.3 rpg. Rob Ferguson checks in with 12.0 ppg, Tasheed Carr is scoring 10.8 ppg, and Darrin Govens rounds out a talented group of double-digit scorers with 10.1 ppg. Saint Joseph's is averaging 75.0 ppg this season while limiting the opposition to 67.4 ppg. In the 25-point thrashing of St. Bonaventure last time out, the Hawks shot a stellar 58 percent from the floor, including a solid 12-of-25 effort from three-point range. Nivins netted 18 points, and Calathes had 15 points in the triumph.

Go with the Hawks tonight, as they should have little trouble soaring past their crosstown rival. Calathes and Nivins will be the best players on the court for either squad.