As we move toward March Madness, it’s good to take inventory of every team that has realistic expectations of running through the bracket.
Are six straight wins to end the season within the range of outcomes for Saint Louis?
Saint Louis Billikens March Madness Profile
The Billikens rattled off 18 straight wins before stumbling at Rhode Island, but don’t let that result blind you from a profile that looks pretty legitimate.
Saint Louis has seven players averaging north of nine points per game, and four of them are knockdown shooters. There might be 45 teams in the dance this year with a player who is more likely to score 25 points in any singular contest than anyone on this roster, but if you value a dispersion of responsibilities, the Billikens are your cup of tea.
Robbie Avila has been an efficient bucket-getter all four years of his collegiate career, the first two coming at Indiana State, and with his range improving, he’s a focal piece to fear.
As this team has grown around him, his usage has dipped a bit, but he’s still a do-it-all type at 6-10 and has proven more than capable of punishing you from deep when his teammates penetrate.
He’s very good, but most “centers” are only as good as their guards allow them to be.
Amari McCottry Emerges as Sophomore Standout
Amari McCottry has leveled up in a big way after averaging just 14.5 minutes and 4.6 points as a freshman. His plus-size frame at 6-6 allows him to be a disruptive force on the defensive end and a tough cover when he elects to attack the paint, where he shoots near 60% on twos.
Quentin Jones Finds His Role
Quentin Jones is another Billiken backcourt member who uses a long frame to impact the game in a variety of ways. He came to Saint Louis this summer from Northern Illinois, and while he isn’t asked to take the 12.6 shots per game that he was there, he’s found a perfect niche that allows him to thrive.
We haven’t seen it yet this season, but he does have some bucket-getter DNA to his profile, and that is upside worth considering come March, where sometimes a team’s top option is the sole focus of the opponent.
Depth and Balance Set Billikens Apart
This is a down season for the A-10, that much we know, but since when was taking care of business a bad thing? This team has a nice mix of experience and youth. Two of their five players averaging double figures this season are sophomores, a little rare for a school like this, and while they may lack elite upside, they shouldn’t be overlooked.
With eight players averaging north of 15 minutes a night, this is exactly the type of team that is difficult to prepare for in a situation where you’re playing for the second time in three nights, something that the NCAA Tournament asks you to do in both the Round of 32 and the Elite Eight.
You don’t have to know exactly what a Billiken is (it’s a mythical creature that an art teacher created seemingly out of thin air over 100 years ago) to like the team Saint Louis has assembled when filling out your bracket.