The Saint Louis University men’s basketball team enters its third game of a season-opening five-game homestand riding high on back-to-back blowout victories, and they’ll look to extend that momentum Monday night when they welcome the Lindenwood Lions to Chaifetz Arena. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT in a matchup that marks the first regular-season clash between the two Missouri-based programs.
The Billikens (2-0) have wasted no time asserting themselves early in the 2025-26 campaign, dismantling Southeast Missouri State 92-67 in the opener before erupting for 108 points – the second-highest total in Chaifetz Arena history – in an 108-86 rout of Chicago State last Thursday. That offensive fireworks display not only showcased SLU’s scoring punch but also highlighted their efficiency from the free-throw line, where they connected on 90.9% (30-of-33) to rank among the nation’s elite early on. Overall, the Billikens are shooting .870 from the stripe through two games, good for a top-10 spot in the NCAA.
Monday’s tilt holds extra significance as it becomes the 300th game played at Chaifetz Arena since the Billikens moved in for the 2008-09 season. SLU boasts an impressive 220-79 all-time mark on their home court, entering this one with a perfect 2-0 record and a clear intent to make it 3-0 before tougher tests loom. Grand Canyon visits on Saturday, Nov. 15, followed by Purdue Fort Wayne on Friday, Nov. 21 – both at Chaifetz – as part of a homestand designed to build chemistry under head coach Josh Schertz.
Schertz, now in his second year at the helm after a stellar 2024-25 campaign, enters 2025-26 with a .774 winning percentage across 18 seasons as a collegiate head coach – ranking among the top 10 active mentors in Division I. His Billikens are a balanced bunch offensively, with six players already averaging double figures in scoring through the young season. Leading the charge is senior center Robbie Avila, who’s pouring in 16.5 points per game while earning preseason nods for the Naismith Trophy, Oscar Robertson Trophy, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award. Last year, Avila averaged 17.3 points and 6.9 rebounds, but it was his unorthodox skill set that turned heads: He led all Division I centers in made 3-pointers per game (1.8) and assists per game (2.5). Avila wasted no time reminding everyone of his versatility, dropping a game-high 18 points in the SEMO win.
Ishan Sharma has been a sharpshooter off the bench, erupting for a team-high 16 points on five 3-pointers against Chicago State. Meanwhile, Kellen Thames is making life miserable for opponents on the perimeter, ranking second in the Atlantic 10 with 3.50 steals per game. With this kind of depth and defensive bite, SLU’s early-season form suggests they’re primed for another run at the top of the conference.
On the other side, the Lindenwood Lions (1-1) are no strangers to the St. Louis hoops scene but face a steep challenge in their first road test against a power-conference foe. The Lions kicked off the year with a valiant but lopsided 98-60 defeat at No. 10 Texas Tech on Nov. 4, where they showed flashes of fight despite the talent gap. Transfer guard Mekhi Cooper led the way with 15 points in that loss, while forwards Milos Nenadic and Robert Lewis notched double-doubles to keep things competitive for stretches.
Lindenwood bounced back emphatically in their home opener, torching Health Sciences & Pharmacy 116-51 in a tune-up that highlighted their scoring potential. Last season marked a breakthrough for the program in its Division I era, as the Lions racked up 16 wins – the most since 2018-19 and a single-season high since transitioning from Division II. Picked to finish fifth in the 11-team Ohio Valley Conference, Lindenwood returns key pieces like freshman sensation Jadis Jones, who started all 33 games as a rookie last year and averaged 12.5 points with 5.8 rebounds. Jones earned OVC Freshman of the Week honors a record 12 times, a testament to his immediate impact.
Under seventh-year head coach Kyle Gerdeman, the Lions are building on that momentum, blending transfers like Cooper with homegrown talent to push for a deeper OVC tournament run. But facing SLU – a team that just hung 108 on Chicago State – will test their resolve early.
This is uncharted territory for the series in the regular season, though the teams did square off in an exhibition back on Oct. 31, 2021, with the Billikens claiming an 89-66 victory at Chaifetz. Expect SLU to lean on their home-court edge and hot shooting to pull away, but the Lions’ resilience could make for some entertaining moments if they replicate their TTU effort.
Fans can catch the action live on ESPN+ with Colin Suhre on the call, while radio listeners tune into 104.1 FM / 1120 AM KMOX or the Varsity Network App for the voices of Billiken basketball: Hall of Famers Bob Ramsey (in his 40th season as the Voice of the Billikens) and Earl Austin Jr. (year 35). Live stats are available via StatBroadcast, and full SLU game notes can be found here.
