Saint Louis Billikens
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #21
Conference Rank: #2 Atlantic 10
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Saint Louis is coming off of another great season in which they won the A-10 regular season title and the conference tournament. As a result, the Billikens earned a four seed in the NCAA Tournament. After shutting down New Mexico State, however, Saint Louis was upset by Oregon in the Round of 32. Coach Jim Crews removed the interim tag from his title and he has a group that can be just as good as they were last season. Four starters are back and the Billikens boast a talented group of seniors that have been through a lot with this program.
2012-13 Record: 28-7, 13-3
2012-13 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Jim Crews
Coach Record: 28-7 at Saint Louis, 378-356 overall
Who’s Out:
The most notable departure if Kwamain Mitchell. The talented guard averaged 10.6 points per game and took a majority of the big shots for Saint Louis. The backcourt also lost Keith Carter who played in just three contests. Cody Ellis is the big loss in the frontcourt. The 6-8 forward did not start a single game during his senior season, but he was often on the floor when it mattered most. Ellis could stretch out the defense with his outside shooting and actually led Saint Louis in three-pointers made and was one of three players to average double digits in the scoring column. Cory Remekun, another 6-8 forward, stayed inside the paint unlike Ellis. He did start 15 games, but was mostly a key big man off of the bench.
Who’s In:
All four of the newcomers could make an impact this season. Sophomore Austin McBroom spent one season at Central Michigan where he averaged 10.9 points and 2.7 assists. The 5-9 guard is a solid three-point shooter and has a knack for slipping through the big bodies in the paint and finishing around the basket. Mike Crawford, a 6-5 wing, had a superb prep career at Tipton High School in Indiana. He has the skills to make a big splash on both sides of the floor as a freshman. Up front Tanner Lancona and Reggie Agbeko will provide depth. Lancona is a natural scorer and Agbeko could be a great player once the skilled big man gains some more experience.
Who to Watch:
This is the last go around for Dwayne Evans, Rob Loe, Jake Barnett, Mike McCall and Jordair Jett. Evans, a 6-6 forward, led the Billikens with 14.0 points and 7.7 rebounds. He also totaled 44 steals and 25 blocks. There is not much Evans cannot do. At 6-11 and 245 pounds, Loe is the biggest body on the team. However, he does not play like a typical big man. Loe’s ability to step outside and knock down the long ball opens up plenty of space for the wings to attack the basket. Barnett is the only senior who, most likely, will not be a regular starter. He is only 6-5, but Barnett is a decent rebounder and can provide an offensive spark off of the bench with his three-point shot. It is McCall who is the best shooter on the team. He connected on 40.5 percent of his attempts from long range and can also use his athleticism to score around the basket. Speaking of great athletes, there are not many better than Jett. The speedy and strong point guard dished out 3.2 assists and added 9.0 points per game.
Final Projection:
Grandy Glaze may not be a senior, yet he has plenty of experience after stepping into the starting lineup for 20 games during his sophomore season. The 6-6 junior averaged just 3.1 points per game, although he is capable of doing a lot more damage offensively if Saint Louis needs him to shoot. Meanwhile, Glaze can do some of the dirty work in the paint and try and at least keep the undersized Billikens even on the glass.
Projected Postseason Tournament: NCAA
Projected Starting Five:
Jordair Jett, Senior, Guard, 9.0 points per game
Mike McCall, Senior, Guard, 9.3 points per game
Dwayne Evans, Senior, Forward, 14.0 points per game
Grandy Glaze, Junior, Forward, 3.1 points per game
Rob Loe, Senior, Forward, 7.0 points per game
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 68.2 (149th in nation, 9th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 58.2 (16, 1)
Field-Goal Percentage: 44.6 (100, 7)
Field-Goal Defense: 41.1 (97, 4)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 6.0 (176, 11)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 34.0 (162, 8)
Free-Throw Percentage: 70.4 (141, 7)
Rebound Margin: -0.2 (182, 9)
Assists Per Game: 12.9 (148, 9)
Turnovers Per Game: 11.5 (42, 2)
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