Tonight, the Saint Louis Billikens (1-0) host the Chicago State Cougars (0-1) at Chaifetz Arena for a 7 p.m. CT tip-off, part of a Thursday double-header following the SLU women’s team’s game against Middle Tennessee State at 4 p.m.
Catch the action on FanDuel Sports Network Extra or stream it on ESPN+ with Tom Ackerman, Troy Robertson, and Tamar Sher on the call. Radio listeners can tune into 104.1 FM/1120 AM KMOX or the Varsity Network App, where Billiken legends Bob Ramsey (celebrating his 40th season) and Earl Austin Jr. (in his 35th year) will provide play-by-play.
SLU is riding high after a dominant 92-67 win over Southeast Missouri State in their season opener. Senior center Robbie Avila, a preseason watch list candidate for the Naismith Trophy, Oscar Robertson Trophy, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, led with 18 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. Dion Brown also notched a double-double (11 points, 11 rebounds), while Amari McCottry (16 points), Kellen Thames (12), and Quentin Jones (10) added double-figure scoring. The Billikens’ 54 rebounds tied for the third-most ever at Chaifetz Arena, showcasing their dominance on the boards. Under head coach Josh Schertz, who boasts a .773 winning percentage, SLU (19-15 last season) is in year two of a promising rebuild and looks to extend its 11-0 all-time record against Chicago State.
Chicago State, coming off a 92-62 loss to DePaul, is led by first-year head coach Landon Bussie, a two-time SWAC Coach of the Year. The Cougars, picked sixth in the Northeast Conference, struggled last season (4-28, 4-12 NEC) but showed flashes in their opener. Marcus Tankersley (16 points, nine rebounds) and Stephen Byard (16 points off the bench) paced the offense, with Braelon Bush (six points, four assists) and Doyel Cockrill III (10 points, two 3s) contributing. Chicago State will need to overcome SLU’s size and home-court advantage, where the Billikens are 219-79 all-time.
SLU has owned the matchup, winning all 11 prior meetings, including an 85-62 victory last season. Robbie Avila’s 19 points and Gibson Jimerson’s timely 3s fueled a second-half surge to pull away after Chicago State closed the gap to one point.
Expect SLU to lean on Avila’s versatility (last season’s D-I leader among centers in 3s and assists) and their rebounding prowess to control the game. Chicago State will look to Tankersley and Byard to keep pace offensively, but they’ll need to disrupt SLU’s rhythm to avoid another lopsided defeat. With the Billikens’ depth and home dominance, they’re poised to continue their perfect record against the Cougars.
Up Next: SLU hosts Lindenwood on Monday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m. at Chaifetz Arena.
