The No. 25 Saint Louis Billikens (26-3 overall, 14-2 Atlantic 10) host the Loyola Chicago Ramblers (7-22 overall, 3-13 A-10) in their final regular-season home game of the 2025-26 campaign on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at 7 p.m. CT inside a sold-out Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri.
This matchup pits one of the nation’s hottest teams against a struggling Ramblers squad that’s been plagued by injuries but coming off a gritty 69-66 home win over Richmond. For the Billikens, a victory would secure at least a share of the A-10 regular-season title—their third since joining the league and first since 2013-14—while clinching the No. 1 seed for next week’s A-10 Championship in Pittsburgh. SLU sits atop the A-10 standings at 14-2, well ahead of second-place VCU (13-3).
Billikens’ Dominant Season
Under head coach Josh Schertz, Saint Louis has been one of the most efficient and explosive teams in college basketball. They rank:
- 7th nationally in scoring offense at 89.2 points per game (on pace to shatter the A-10 record of 87.3 set by West Virginia in 1990-91)
- 2nd in scoring margin (+20.5)
- 1st in three-point percentage (.409)
- 1st in field-goal percentage defense (** .369**)
- 4th in three-point defense (** .283**)
- 9th in rebound margin (+9.0), leading the nation in defensive rebounds per game (30.6)
The Billikens are a perfect 18-0 at Chaifetz Arena this season, matching the school record for home wins in a year (18-4 in 2009-10). One more victory would give them an undefeated home season—something SLU has never accomplished—and tie the program record for consecutive home wins at 22 (set in 1993-94 and 1994-95).
Senior Night adds extra emotion: Postgame ceremonies will honor graduating student-athletes, seniors, and team managers. Fans are urged to arrive early due to the expected capacity crowd and utilize campus parking like the Laclede garage.
Key Billikens to Watch
- Robbie Avila (center): Leads SLU in scoring while topping NCAA centers in assists per game (4.2) and threes per game (2.0). He’s just the third center in NCAA history with 200+ career three-pointers.
- Trey Green: Leads the A-10 in threes made per game (2.96) and shoots an elite .461 from deep (4th nationally).
- Kellen Thames: Tops the A-10 in field-goal percentage (.669), which would set a school record if sustained.
The team has been scorching from beyond the arc and suffocating defensively, forcing opponents into low-efficiency nights.
Loyola Chicago’s Challenge
The Ramblers, picked preseason to finish 5th in the A-10 (with two first-place votes), have battled significant injuries en route to a disappointing 7-22 mark. Head coach Drew Valentine—part of Loyola’s 2018 Final Four run as an assistant and Michigan State’s 2015 staff—leads a group that’s shown flashes but struggled for consistency.
Miles Rubin anchors the frontcourt as one of the A-10’s top defensive bigs: 2nd in the league (17th NCAA) in blocks per game (2.24) and 4th in rebounding (7.2 rpg), while scoring 11.1 points per game.
Loyola pulled off a morale-boosting upset over Richmond last time out, but they’ll face a tall task against SLU’s elite defense and home dominance.
Series History
The all-time series stands at 55 meetings, with Loyola Chicago holding a slim 28-26 edge. The Billikens dominated the earlier matchup this season, winning 86-59 in Chicago on Feb. 13 behind 14 points each from Ishan Sharma and Trey Green, plus strong contributions from Amari McCottry (11 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists) and Quentin Jones (12 points, 6 assists).
This marks the fourth season as A-10 foes; the teams previously met regularly in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference from 1982-91.
How to Follow
- TV: CBS Sports Network (Jack Gordon and Chris Walker on the call)
- Radio: 104.1 FM / 1120 AM KMOX or Varsity Network App (Bob Ramsey and Earl Austin Jr.—a special nod to Ramsey’s 40th season and Austin’s 35th as the voices of Billiken hoops; the duo recently received the Burnes-Broeg Award)
- Live Stats: StatBroadcast
- Game Notes: Available via SLU’s official site
With national ranking momentum, a potential conference title on the line, and a raucous Senior Night crowd, the Billikens are primed for a statement win to cap their perfect home slate. Expect SLU’s high-powered offense and lockdown defense to prove too much for the injury-riddled Ramblers in what should be a convincing victory.
