Anthony Lee, a 6-9 sophomore who had 20 points against St. Louis, is second on the team in scoring, averaging 12.2 points.
That the Owls scored 64 points against St. Louis is noteworthy since the Billikens lead the A-10 in scoring defense, allowing 56 points per game.
Thriving in his role
Villanova sophomore JayVaughn Pinkston has thrived in both a reserve role and in Big East play. The 6-7 redshirt sophomore averaged 17.7 points in the Wildcats' first three Big East games.
He started the first five games and averaged 11 points. In the last 11 games as a reserve, Pinkston has averaged 14.3 points.
Honest assessment
St. Joseph's coach Phil Martelli gave an honest assessment of his team, which takes a 9-5 record (1-1 A-10) into Thursday's game at dangerous Virginia Commonwealth.
"We haven't had a guy bust out yet and exceed his own expectations," Martelli said.
Martelli, who is in his 18th season, said the fact that the expectations haven't been met could be viewed as a positive sign.
"I know these individual guys have more in them, and I know I have more in myself and my staff does to give them," he said.
Banged-up Dragons
A number of City Six teams have some key injuries, none more than Drexel.
For once, coach Bruiser Flint is happy that his team is off. The Dragons visit William and Mary Saturday.
"This couldn't have come at a better time," Flint said Tuesday on a Colonial Athletic Conference teleconference.
Guard Chris Fouch, a 1,000-point scorer, is out for the season with a fractured ankle. Leading scorer Damion Lee (18.1 ppg.) has missed the last two games with a bone bruise on his knee. Leading rebounder Daryl McCoy (8.8 per game) missed Saturday's loss to James Madison with a sprained foot. Forward Dartaye Ruffin has been playing with a sprained knee.
"Hopefully, Damion is probably the best guy able to play [on Saturday]," Flint said.
Flint said that with Fouch and the three others out, there are only eight players to practice.
"Practices have been rough," he said.
So have the games for the 5-11 Dragons, who could still make a run in the CAA postseason tournament if everybody (minus Fouch) returns.
Galloway to play
La Salle coach John Giannini said that leading scorer Ramon Galloway will play in Wednesday's game against visiting Dayton, despite suffering from a leg injury that he described as a muscle strain.
Galloway, a 6-foot-3 senior, is second in the Atlantic Ten in scoring (17.1 ppg.). He scored just two points in Saturday's 71-57 victory over visiting Richmond.
"It affected him in the Richmond game and he didn't have the ability to explode," Giannini said.
The Explorers coach is hoping the time off between games will help Galloway, who is also a top defensive player.
"He can play [Wednesday] and will play, and we hope he is much closer [to 100 percent] than he was on Saturday," Giannini said.
Nobody should be deceived by Dayton's 0-2 A-10 record. The Flyers are 10-6 overall.
The Flyers' two A-10 losses were at VCU, 74-62, and at home to Butler, 79-73. Those teams have each won 11 in a row.
Through Monday, Butler and VCU had the A-10's top Rating Percentage Index, of 14 and 32 respectively (with Temple right behind at 33).
Missing Dougherty
A Penn official said 6-8 junior Fran Dougherty was expected to be out at least a few more weeks with mononucleosis.
Dougherty missed the last five games. A product of Archbishop Wood, he is averaging 15.7 points and 8.8 rebounds for a Quakers team that has dropped eight straight.
Dougherty's last game was an 83-60 loss at Delaware on Dec. 21. In that game Dougherty had 18 points and nine rebounds, just missing his fifth double-double of the season.
La Salle's Tyreek Duren nears 1,000 points
Tyreek Duren is all about winning, but that doesn't mean the La Salle junior guard can't be excited about a personal milestone, one he's about to achieve.
Unless he has the worst shooting night of his career, Duren should hit the 1,000-point mark in Wednesday's game at Tom Gola Arena against Dayton. He enters with 998 points.
Duren said he became aware only recently that he was near the mark. Friends told him about it.
"It's my junior year and I didn't think I was that close, to be honest," he said.
A graduate of Neumann-Goretti, Duren is happy the schedule will allow him to achieve this milestone at home.
"When I found out I was close, I told my dad I wanted to get it here while my family is there," he said.
Duren, who is averaging 15.1 points and 3.5 assists this season, said that playing college basketball in his hometown has been special.
"I stayed at La Salle so my family could watch me reach my goal, and that could be one of the goals, to get 1,000 points. And reaching it at home will be big."
Duren would become the 51st La Salle player to top 1,000 points. The top three are Lionel Simmons (3,217), Michael Brooks (2,628), and Tom Gola (2,461).
"It is really a high honor for personal reasons," Duren said. "To be on that list with people who have made it in the past and some of the great names that have been up there [is special]."
- Marc Narducci
Contact Marc Narducci at mnarducci@phillynews.com. Follow on Twitter @sjnard.
