Saint Louis Billikens
Record: 26-6
Head coach: Jim Crews (1st season)
Season summary: The Billikens won 25 of their first 27 games but have dropped four of their last five. Saint Louis' best wins have come against VCU, Massachusetts and George Washington, while it has also suffered bad losses against Duquesne and St. Bonaventure. The Billikens like to slow things down in the half court offensively, and are holding their opponents to a respectable 61.2 points per game. Senior leadership is key to St. Louis' winning chances—Dwayne Evans and Jordair Jett score 14.0 and 13.7 points per game, respectively, along with a combined 10.4 rebounds per game.
How they make a run: If the Billikens are able to control the tempo and keep opponents' scoring in the upper 50s and low 60s, Saint Louis could make a run behind the efforts of Evans and Jett.
How they falter: With each game, Saint Louis' gritty, effort-intensive style will become harder to execute. If opponents are able to get out and run against them, the Billikens will face an uphill battle.Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
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