Saint Louis Billikens
Atlantic 10 (25-7, 12-4)
Injuries, suspensions and a host of other issues have derailed Coach Rick Majerus’ time at Saint Louis. But for the first time in his five seasons with the Billikens, Coach Majerus finally has a team that stuck it out for an entire season with very few problems. The result has been the superb season that Saint Louis fans have been expecting for the last five years. The wait is finally over.
Big Wins: 11/20 Washington (77-64), 11/25 vs Villanova (80-68), 1/25 at Xavier (73-68)
Bad Losses: 11/29 at Loyola Marymount (68-75), 1/28 at Massachusetts (59-72), 2/25 at Rhode Island (62-64)
Coach: Rick Majerus (5 seasons at Saint Louis)
Why They Can Surprise:
The Billikens can usually stay close against more talented competition due to their defense and ability to take care of the ball. It is junior Kwamain Mitchell who spearheads both of those efforts. Mitchell missed last season, but came back strong in 2011-2012. He is a good scorer who can knock down the long ball and attack the basket, but he is a better passer. Kyle Cassity usually starts beside Mitchell in the backcourt. Cassity is not a big scorer and his numbers will never be impressive, but he simply gets the job done. Jordair Jett, who is as fast as he sounds on the defensive end, and Mike McCall are both capable guards who can provide a spark on both ends of the floor off of the bench. McCall has seen his production drop during his sophomore season, but he is certainly capable of dropping 15 points on any given day as long as his shot is falling.
Why They Can Disappoint:
The frontcourt is not bad by any means. In fact forward Brian Conklin is the team’s best scorer and his ability to score in the paint opens up the entire offense. Cody Ellis has rebounded nicely from an injury riddled sophomore season and turned into a dynamic wing who can finish above the rim and knock down the long ball. When he is being aggressive, the 6-5 forward can be a nightmare to guard. Dwayne Evans is the team’s toughest rebounder and is another blue collar player who won’t make many highlight reels, but will be productive. At 6-11, Rob Loe is the big body in the paint. He may get the starting nod, but Loe only averages about 15 minutes per game. The problem in the frontcourt is mostly on the glass. This team has size and athletes, but Loe is not a strong rebounder, Ellis spends most of his time out on the perimeter and Conklin, despite his best efforts, is still more of a shooter than anything else. The Billikens can do some damage in March, but they lack a true big man with shot blocking ability that can also hit the glass.
Probable Starters:
Kwamain Mitchell, Junior, Guard, 12.1 ppg, 3.8 apg
Kyle Cassity, Senior, Guard, 3.5 ppg, 2.0 apg
Dwayne Evans, Sophomore, Forward, 8.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg
Brian Conklin, Senior, Forward, 13.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg
Rob Loe, Sophomore, Forward, 5.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg
Key Roleplayers:
Cody Ellis, Junior, Forward, 10.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg
Jordair Jett, Sophomore, Guard, 6.4 ppg, 2.2 apg
Mike McCall, Sophomore, Guard, 7.2 ppg, 2.1 apg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 69.1 (149th in nation, 9th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 56.6 (7, 1)
Field-Goal Percentage: 45.3 (95, 6)
Field-Goal Defense: 40.6 (49, 4)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.0 (92, 6)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 36.3 (78, 3)
Free-Throw Percentage: 71.1 (100, 6)
Rebound Margin: 1.8 (121, 8)
Assists Per Game: 13.8 (94, 9)
Turnovers Per Game: 11.2 (21, 1)
Last Five Postseason Appearances:
St. Louis 2010 CBI First Round win over Indiana State
St. Louis 2010 CBI Second Round win over Green Bay
St. Louis 2010 CBI Semifinal win over Princeton
St. Louis 2010 CBI Final loss to Virginia Commonwealth
St. Louis 2004 NIT First Round win over Iowa
St. Louis 2004 NIT Second Round loss to Notre Dame
St. Louis 2003 NIT First Round loss to Minnesota
St. Louis 2000 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Utah
St. Louis 1998 NCAA Round of 64 win over Massachusetts
St. Louis 1998 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Kentucky
*all team stats through 3/4
See All Men’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
