Long Island University Sharks vs La Salle Explorers Prediction, Odds, Best Bets - Week 1

La Salle scored 55 points at Houston and comes home favored. Long Island University won 24 games last season and just lost by seven at Seton Hall. Saturday in Philadelphia pits a short home number against the more proven visitor.

The Matchup

Long Island University visits La Salle on Saturday afternoon at John Glaser Arena in Philadelphia, on ESPN+, with La Salle a 4.5-point favorite and a total of 146.5. La Salle is 0-1 and LIU is 0-2. An Atlantic 10 team at home against a Northeast Conference visitor usually explains a short favorite. Last season's records explain why this one is not so simple.

LIU went 24-11 last season, scoring 73.6 points a game and allowing 71.7, then opened this season with road losses at Florida Atlantic and at Seton Hall, where the Sharks fell 67-60. La Salle went 9-23 last season, scoring 67.1 and allowing 74.1, then opened by losing 94-55 at Houston.

With only a handful of games played, the team numbers here lean on last season. This season's evidence points the same direction as that history: the Sharks just played a Big East team within seven on the road, while the Explorers shot 15-of-60 from the field in their opener and never made Houston uncomfortable.

The Sharks lean on Vasean Allette, who played 38 minutes at Seton Hall and finished with 20 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals, going 8-of-8 at the free throw line. Xinyi Li added 10 points off the bench and Daquan Davis handed out 5 assists. La Salle's opener was led by Kam Burton with 15 points, all of his makes from three or at the line, and Devin Booker scored 12 off the bench. No other Explorer reached 7 points.

Key Factors

Allette is the best player in this game, and in a low total game that matters more than depth charts. He creates his own shot, gets to the line, and defends, and La Salle just showed it has no reliable second scorer when a defense takes away its first option. The Explorers scored 55 points on 25 percent shooting at Houston and committed 19 turnovers. Some of that is Houston being Houston. Some of it is an offense that scored 67.1 points a game last season and has not found new answers yet.

LIU's defense travels, too. The Sharks recorded 13 steals at Seton Hall and held the Pirates to 67 points in their own building, two nights after the opener at Florida Atlantic. A team that defends and takes the ball away keeps road games close almost by habit, and close is all a 4.5-point underdog needs.

The situational spot helps the visitor as well: this is already LIU's third game, all on the road, while La Salle plays its home opener off a 39-point loss with one game of repetitions. The total of 146.5 suggests points come grudgingly, which raises the value of every point the underdog is given.

The counterpoint is the trip and the home whistle. LIU has opened with three straight road games in five days, Allette carried a heavy load at Seton Hall with 38 minutes and 7 turnovers of his own, and Glaser Arena in a home opener will be loud for a La Salle team desperate to wash off the Houston loss. If Burton shoots the way he did early at Houston and the Explorers defend their own floor with fresh legs, La Salle can win this by two possessions and the short number holds.

Every pick is published with its line before the game. Odds via consensus sportsbooks at time of writing and move constantly. Must be 21+. If gambling is a problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.