Saint Louis Billikens men's basketball | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
![]() | |||||||
University | Saint Louis University | ||||||
Head coach | Josh Schertz (1st season) | ||||||
Conference | Atlantic 10 | ||||||
Location | St. Louis, Missouri | ||||||
Arena | Chaifetz Arena (capacity: 10,600) | ||||||
Nickname | Billikens | ||||||
Student section | SLUnatics | ||||||
Colors | SLU blue and white [1] | ||||||
Uniforms | |||||||
| |||||||
NCAA tournament Elite Eight | |||||||
1952 | |||||||
| |||||||
Conference tournament champions | |||||||
2000, 2013, 2019 | |||||||
Conference regular-season champions | |||||||
1947, 1952, 1955, 1957, 1971, 2013, 2014 |
The Saint Louis Billikens men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Saint Louis University. They compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The head coaching position is currently filled by Josh Schertz. Chaifetz Arena is home to the Billikens. The Billikens have reached the championship game of the NIT tournament four times and have won it once (1948). They have appeared in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament ten times, most recently in 2019.
On April 27, 2007, Rick Majerus accepted the head coaching position. His tenure at SLU got off to a rocky start; in their first conference game, the Billikens set an NCAA Division I record for fewest points scored in a game in the modern era of college basketball, losing 49–20 to George Washington. [2] However, as he had done previously at other programs, Majerus eventually made SLU a winning program. In 2012, he led the Billikens to their first NCAA Tournament in 12 years, and their first appearance in a major poll in 17 years.
On August 24, 2012, Majerus announced he would not coach the 2012–13 season due to serious heart problems. [3] Jim Crews, one of his assistants, took over for him on a temporary basis for that season. [4] On November 16, it was announced that Majerus was retiring when it was apparent that his heart condition would not improve enough to allow him to return. [5]
Majerus compiled a 95–69 (.579) record at St. Louis University and retired with an overall NCAA record of 517–215 (.706).
Jim Crews was promoted to head coach after serving on an interim basis following the health concerns and eventual death of Majerus. He was on Majerus' staff since 2011. After leading the Billikens to a school-record 28 wins, Crews was formally named SLU's 25th head coach on April 12, 2013. He was fired after the 2016 Atlantic 10 tournament resulted in the elimination of the Billikens and marked the end of two 11–21 Billikens seasons. [6] Crews was paid a $1.86 million buyout in 2016-17, according to tax forms. [7]
On March 30, 2016, Saint Louis University announced that Travis Ford has been hired as the head basketball coach. [8] He inherited a Billikens team that had gone a disappointing 11–21 each of the previous two seasons under Jim Crews. [9] Due to a lack of talent returning from the previous regime, SLU was predicted to finish last in the Atlantic 10 conference during the 2016–17 season. [10] Basketball statistician Ken Pomeroy also predicted the Billikens as the team most likely to go winless during its conference schedule. [11] Ford led the Billikens to six Atlantic 10 conference wins and a 12–21 overall record. [12] The Billikens and Ford gained the attention of national news in January 2024 after it was discovered that Ford's son had created burner Twitter accounts to defend his father, as fans were calling for his firing. [13] Ford and SLU parted ways following the 2023-24 season. [14]
On April 6, 2024, it was announced that Josh Schertz had been hired as the head coach for the St. Louis Billikens, replacing Ford. [15]
The Billikens have appeared in ten NCAA Tournaments. Their combined record is 6–11.
Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1952 | Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | New Mexico State Kansas | W 62–53 L 55–74 | |
1957 | Sweet Sixteen Regional 3rd Place Game | Oklahoma City SMU | L 66–75 L 68–78 | |
1994 | #7 | First Round | #10 Maryland | L 66–74 |
1995 | #9 | First Round Second Round | #8 Minnesota #1 Wake Forest | W 64–61OT L 59–64 |
1998 | #10 | First Round Second Round | #7 UMass #2 Kentucky | W 51–46 L 61–88 |
2000 | #9 | First Round | #8 Utah | L 45–48 |
2012 | #9 | First Round Second Round | #8 Memphis #1 Michigan State | W 61–54 L 61–65 |
2013 | #4 | First Round Second Round | #13 New Mexico State #12 Oregon | W 64–44 L 57–74 |
2014 | #5 | First Round Second Round | #12 NC State #4 Louisville | W 83–80OT L 51–66 |
2019 | #13 | First Round | #4 Virginia Tech | L 52–66 |
The Billikens have appeared in 21 National Invitation Tournaments (NIT). Their combined record is 18–20. They were NIT champions in 1948 and runner-up in 1961, 1989, and 1990.
Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1948 | Quarterfinals Semifinals Final | Bowling Green Western Kentucky NYU | W 69–53 W 60–53 W 65–52 |
1949 | Quarterfinals | Bowling Green | L 74–80 |
1951 | First Round Quarterfinals | La Salle BYU | W 73–61 L 68–75 |
1952 | Quarterfinals | Dayton | L 58–68 |
1953 | First Round | St. John's | L 66–81 |
1955 | First Round Quarterfinals | Connecticut Dayton | W 110–103 L 81–97 |
1956 | First Round | Xavier | L 80–84 |
1959 | Quarterfinals | Providence | L 72–75 |
1960 | Quarterfinals | Providence | L 53–64 |
1961 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Final | Miami (FL) Colorado State Dayton Providence | W 58–56 W 59–53 W 67–60 L 59–62 |
1963 | Quarterfinals | Marquette | L 49–84 |
1965 | First Round | Army | L 66–70 |
1987 | First Round Second Round | Saint Peter's Southern Miss | W 76–60 L 78–83 |
1989 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Final | Southern Illinois Wisconsin New Mexico Michigan State St. John's | W 87–54 W 73–68 W 66–65 W 74–64 L 65–73 |
1990 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Final | Kent State Green Bay DePaul New Mexico Vanderbilt | W 85–74 W 58–54 W 54–47 W 80–73 L 72–74 |
1996 | First Round | Minnesota | L 52–68 |
2003 | First Round | Minnesota | L 52–62 |
2004 | First Round Second Round | Iowa Notre Dame | W 70–69 L 66–77 |
2021 | First Round | Mississippi State | L 68–74 |
2022 | First Round | Northern Iowa | L 68–80 |
2025 | First Round | Arkansas State | L 78–103 |
The Billikens have appeared in one College Basketball Invitational (CBI). Their record is 3–2 and they were the CBI runner-up in their only appearance.
Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals Game 1 Finals Game 2 | Indiana State Green Bay Princeton VCU VCU | W 63–54 W 68–62 2OT W 69–59 L 56–68 L 65–71 |
Saint Louis Billikens retired numbers | ||||
No. | Player | Pos. | Career | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
50 | Ed Macauley | C / PF | 1945–1949 | [16] |
Jerseys were honored/retired, but numbers remained active and can be chosen by future players
No. | Player | Pos. | Career | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
24 | Dick Boushka | F | 1951–1955 | [16] |
34 | Anthony Bonner | PF / SF | 1986–1990 | [16] |
43 | Bob Ferry | PF / C | 1956–1959 | [16] |
Player | Attended SLU | Current team | Years played professionally |
---|---|---|---|
Marque Perry | 1999–2003 | BG Göttingen | 2003–2015 |
Itzik Ohanon | 2002–2005 | Ironi Ramat Gan | 1999–2011 |
Ian Vouyoukas | 2003–2007 | Ionikos Nikaias B.C. | 2007–present |
Marcus Relphorde | 2007–2008 | Poiters | 2011–present |
Kevin Lisch | 2005–2009 | Sydney Kings [17] | 2009–2020 |
Brian Conklin | 2008–2012 | Yalovaspor BK | 2012–present |
Cory Remekun | 2009–2013 | Caen Basket Calvados | 2013–2019 |
Cody Ellis | 2009–2013 | Illawarra Hawks | 2013–2018 |
Dwayne Evans | 2010–2014 | Ryukyu Golden Kings | 2014–present |
Jordair Jett | 2010–2014 | Nelson Giants | 2014–2019 |
Mike McCall Jr. | 2010–2014 | Cheshire Phoenix | 2014–present |
Rob Loe | 2010–2014 | New Zealand Breakers | 2014–present |
Javon Bess | 2017–2019 | Tindastóll | 2019–present |
Tramaine Isabell | 2018–2019 | KK Dubrava | 2019–2022 |
Jordan Goodwin | 2017–2021 | Los Angeles Lakers | 2021–present |
Hasahn French | 2017–2021 | Krka | 2021–present |