The Saint Louis Billikens have had quite the roller-coaster season. From being picked first in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll to the transfer of Carte'Are Gordon to a mediocre conference season, Travis Ford's players found a way to put it all together in an improbable four-wins-in-four-days stretch to grab the conference's automatic bid in Brooklyn. The Bills are playing their best basketball when it matters most. Can they keep the magic going with a win or two on the biggest stage?
ESPN+ has your answers, as Joe Lunardi has enlisted a team of bracketologists to compile advanced metrics, key scouting intel and best- and worst-case tournament scenarios for all 68 teams to help you make smart picks in your bracket.
TOURNEY PROFILE
Best wins: at Seton Hall, vs. Butler, vs. Oregon St., Dayton (twice), Davidson
Worst losses: at Southern Illinois, at Duquesne, Richmond, at Rhode Island
Regular-season conference finish: Sixth, Atlantic 10
Polls and metrics: BPI ranked the Billikens at No. 98 as of March 17, while KenPom had them slightly lower at No. 105. The NCAA's new NET ranking had SLU at No. 103 in its most recent release.
All-time tourney record: 6-10
Coach (tourney record): Travis Ford (1-6)
PERSONNEL
(Note: Player statistics are through games of March 16.)
Starting lineup
F Hasahn French (9.4 PPG, 8.4 RPG)
F D.J. Foreman (5.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG)
G Javon Bess (15.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG)
G Tramaine Isabell Jr. (13.8 PPG, 3.5 APG)
G Jordan Goodwin (10.5 PPG, 7.3 RPG)
Key bench players
G Fred Thatch Jr. (4.6 PPG, 2.8 RPG)
G Dion Wiley (4.6 PPG, 0.9 RPG)
Biggest strength: The Billikens have Power 5-esque athletes who ignite one of the top defenses in the country. Their in-your-face brand of man-to-man led by A-10 Defensive Player of the Year Bess makes field goals in the paint very difficult. SLU was able to lock up both Davidson and Dayton, two of its conference's best offenses, in its tournament title run.
Biggest weakness: SLU severely lacks depth. Ford has been relegated to a seven-man rotation since the second half of conference play. Four of the five starters have to play 30-plus minutes a game. The Billikens' offense also leaves a lot to be desired. They're not a great 3-point shooting team and are the second-worst free throw shooters in the country. The struggles at the line are a bit ironic considering they get there at the 26th-highest rate in Division I.
Best player: Bess. The Michigan State transfer is the leading scorer and prides himself on being an elite defender. His length allows him to disrupt passing lanes and there is a calm to the way he finishes. The light bulb went on down the stretch in his offense, with his midrange game looking the best it has all year in Brooklyn.
X factor: Isabell. The Drexel grad transfer's third school has been his best fit. Isabell has said all year that playing for Ford has opened him up to a level of personal accountability that he's never had anywhere else. He can be explosive in the lane and has more confidence than anyone on SLU's roster when shooting the 3, even if sometimes his shot selection feels forced. Isabell's best basketball came in SLU's A-10 tournament run -- where he was the tournament MVP -- and he could be the key to keeping their recent resurgence going.
SCOUTING REPORT
How they beat you: SLU uses its length with rim-protector French, Foreman and defensive stalwart Bess keeping opponents out of the lane and grinds the basketball at the other end of the floor. Ford's guys win by making the game ugly in a 60-point rock fight. They're comfortable making opponents uncomfortable and have just enough scoring options to put them over the top in a tight game.
How you beat them: Good ball screens and dribble penetration. SLU doesn't get a lot of turnovers, but offensive efficiency has to be at a higher level than normal because the Billikens don't give up offensive rebounds. Attacking French and trying to get to the line isn't a bad strategy. The all-defensive team selection has fouled out eight times this year, and if he's out of the game then Ford is out of frontcourt options.
WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY
(Note: All statistics in this section are courtesy of kenpom.com and are accurate through games of March 16.)
NATIONAL RANKS
Offensive efficiency, 205th (102.8)
Defensive efficiency, 48th (96.6)
3-point percentage, 310th (31.3)
3-point percentage D, 28th (31.2)
Free throw rate, 26th (40.1)
Free throw rate D, 196th (33.4)
TO percentage, 225th (19.2)
TO percentage D, 117th (19.4)
HOW FAR WILL THEY GO?
Best-case scenario: Second round
The Billikens enter the Big Dance peaking at the right time thanks to their magical run in Brooklyn. They were picked as the preseason number one in the Atlantic 10 for a reason and can certainly defend at a high enough level to pull off a win in their opening game. It also doesn't hurt that Bess and Maryland transfer Wiley have been on this stage before. That type of experience can't be discounted and could serve SLU well in the opening round.
Worst-case scenario: One and done
Four games in four days takes a toll on the body. By the time the Billikens tip for their opening-round matchup, they'll have played five in the span of a week or so. With heavy legs and little depth, the odds seem pretty good that SLU is in for an early letdown and will head home far sooner than they would like.