La Salle @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 22, 2015 ) Miami-Florida 95, La Salle 49

No. 11 Miami has two more tune-up games remaining before its first big test of the season -- and you can bet the team will be focusing on its terrible showing so far from the free-throw line. The Hurricanes will look to improve their woeful foul shooting Wednesday night against La Salle in Reading, Pa.

With a Big Ten/ACC Challenge game against Minnesota looming, Miami needs desperately to fix a foul-shooting problem that has carried over from the end of last season. The Hurricanes are connecting on just 50.8 percent of their free throws through three games, with Bruce Brown Jr. the biggest offender with a 2-for-9 mark from the line so far. And that isn't the only concern the Hurricanes are dealing with after losing talented freshman guard Lonnie Walker IV to a left leg injury in Thursday's 90-59 drubbing of Florida A&M. Now, they'll look to subdue a La Salle team coming off back-to-back losses to Northwestern and Boston College.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, ACC Network Extra

ABOUT LA SALLE (3-2): The Explorers ran out of gas on the consolation game of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament, shooting 34.4 percent and getting outrebounded 48-30 in an 82-61 loss to the Eagles. Senior guard B.J. Johnson looks like the most dangerous player in the Atlantic 10 Conference through the first five games of the season, averaging 22.8 points and 9.6 rebounds while leading the team in scoring in all four games. Pookie Powell (13.8 points) is the only other La Salle player averaging double figures while adding 4.8 rebounds and a team-high 3.2 assists.

ABOUT MIAMI (3-0): Walker hopes to be healthy enough to play in what amounts to a homecoming; he led Reading High School to its first-ever state title earlier this year. He and the rest of the Hurricanes are hoping to put on another sensational defensive display; Miami has limited opponents to 53 points per game on 35.1 percent shooting from the field, with both marks leading the ACC. Ja'Quan Newton leads four players in double figures at 14.0 points per game, but has knocked down just two of his seven attempts from 3-point range so far this season.

TIP-INS

1. Miami's 32.3-point average scoring margin ranks 10th best in Division I.

2. Brown had a triple-double in the Hurricanes' season-opening victory over Gardner-Webb.

3. La Salle averages 10.2 assists per game, ranking 321st out of 351 teams nationally.

PREDICTION: Miami 86, La Salle 68