This time, La Salle will face Butler's Rotnei Clarke

NEW YORK - La Salle didn't face Butler guard Rotnei Clarke during the team's regular-season meeting.

The Explorers will see plenty of him Friday.

Fourth-seeded La Salle (21-8) will meet fifth-seeded Butler at 2:30 p.m. in an Atlantic Ten tournament quarterfinal at the Barclays Center that is critical to the Explorers' NCAA hopes.

With a first-round bye, the La Salle coaching staff watched Thursday as Butler advanced with a hard-fought, 73-67 win over 12th-seeded Dayton.

Clarke missed Butler's 54-53 loss at La Salle on Jan. 23 with a neck injury.

Against Dayton, he had 21 points and five assists, hitting 6 of 12 three-pointers, many from beyond NBA range, at the home of the Brooklyn Nets.

"He's one of the best shooters in the country, and to top it off he's such a tough kid," La Salle coach John Giannini said afterward.

Clarke played his first three years at Arkansas, sat out last season after transferring, and earned first-team all-Atlantic Ten honors this season.

He is averaging 16.8 points and shooting 42.1 percent from beyond the arc.

"La Salle is a great team, and this will be a big challenge for us," Clarke said. "They've got a lot of guards who can really drive the ball well."

One of those guards, Sam Mills, is an accomplished defender and could see extensive time on Clarke. Ramon Galloway, who leads La Salle with a 17.4-point average, is also a strong defender. The Explorers frequently switch Galloway and Mills on top offensive players in the course of games.

Despite Clarke's heroics, this is far from a one-man team.

Andrew Smith, a 6-foot-11 senior, had 18 points and six rebounds against Dayton. He hit two threes and also hurt Dayton with his moves inside, including a killer drop step. Smith brings a veteran's presence after starting 32 games in 2010-2011, when Butler made its second straight appearance in the NCAA title game.

In addition, 6-4 sophomore Roosevelt Jones can score inside; he also hurt Dayton with six assists.

"Butler is not one-dimensional, and Smith and Jones both score around the basket: Smith with his back to the basket and Jones penetrating," Giannini said.

Kellen Dunham, a 6-6 freshman, did not shoot well against Dayton (1 for 6 from beyond the arc), but he is a player who can stretch defenses.

La Salle's 6-11 Steve Zack is not expected to play because of a sprained left foot, which will put more pressure on 6-8 Jerrell Wright.

"Jerrell Wright may have to play more, which is something opposing coaches may not like as much," Giannini said.

Butler (25-7) hasn't been consistent, but the Bulldogs have beaten some true heavyweights this season in Indiana, Gonzaga, and North Carolina.

Coach Brad Stevens is impressed with La Salle. He said the fact that the Explorers haven't played since Saturday's 78-54 loss at St. Louis will not be a factor. His team will be playing for the second time in two days.

If "guys can't play 80 minutes in two days, [they] probably signed up for the wrong thing," Stevens said.