Dani Colon, Editor
La Salle’s men’s basketball program is entering the 2026–27 season hoping to improve after a difficult 2025–26 season. Under Head Coach, Darris Nichols – the Explorers finished last season with a 9-23 record. One of the biggest problems last season was the team’s shooting efficiency. La Salle ranked last in the Atlantic 10 in field goal percentage and second to last in three-point shooting. This is something the coaching staff needed to address heading into the new season.
So far, La Salle MBB have started the season with a 1-2 record (as of November 11). They suffered a 94-55 loss to Houston, defeated LIU 88-80 and most recently lost to Villanova 80-59. Although the victory against LIU showed that the Explorers benefit from scoring, the other two games exposed some of the team’s weaknesses. Through three games, the Explorers are averaging 67.3 points per game while allowing 84.7 points. The team is also shooting at just 34.4% from the field and 29.3% from the three-point range. These numbers suggest that offensive consistency is a huge concern.
Head Coach Nichols has tried to revamp the player lineup to help address this problem, keeping only seven returning players. An important returning player is Rob Dockery, who led the team in scoring last season with 12.5 points per game. The team also added players such as Kam Burton, who shot 42.5% from the three-point range at Stephen F. Austin last season. These additions show that Nichols is working hard to build a team with better shooting abilities and more offensive options.
However, bringing in new players does not guarantee immediate results, especially when players are still adjusting to a new system and style of playing.
Looking ahead, will La Salle continue to lose and struggle? The upcoming games against Temple, UPenn and several other competitive programs will give a better understanding of where the team stands. Temple will be an especially important matchup, because it gives La Salle another opportunity to compete against a Philadelphia-based rival. Based on the team’s early shooting numbers and defensive struggles, it would not be a surprise if the Explorers lose more games before finding consistency. This does not mean the season is already lost, but the team needs to show improvement fast.
At this point, winning a full season is hard to predict. Nichols needs to find a consistent rotation, improve shooting efficiency, and limit turnovers. The biggest question moving forward is whether the coaching staff can get the most out of the players they have. If these problems continue, La Salle could face another difficult season. This is still the start, and truly anything can happen in the world of sports.
