The Saint Louis Billikens will christen the 2025-26 men’s basketball season with a marquee home opener on Monday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m. CT, welcoming the Southeast Missouri Redhawks to Chaifetz Arena. It’s a clash steeped in history – and one that kicks off a grueling five-game homestand for SLU, setting the tone for what could be another postseason push under head coach Josh Schertz.
For the Billikens, this isn’t just any opener; it’s a return to Chaifetz familiarity after last year’s road debut. SLU boasts a sterling 14-2 record in season openers at Chaifetz, where they’ve thrived to a 218-79 all-time mark since its 2008 debut. The Billikens enter off a solid 19-15 campaign in 2024-25, capped by an NIT at-large bid and a No. 5 seed in the A-10 Tournament. Schertz, now in his second year at the helm, brings a gaudy .773 career winning percentage (422-124) that ranks among the NCAA’s elite for active coaches.
Leading the charge is senior center Robbie Avila, a preseason first-team All-A-10 pick after a breakout sophomore year. The 6-10 big man averaged 17.3 points and 6.9 rebounds last season while topping all Division I centers in 3-pointers made (2.1 per game) and assists (1.8) per contest – a testament to his unique floor-spacing prowess. Expect Avila to feast early against a Redhawks frontcourt that’s solid but unproven against Power 5-level athleticism.
On the other side, SEMO arrives as a battle-tested squad hungry to build on their 2024-25 Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title (21-12 overall, 15-5 OVC). The Redhawks return nine letterwinners, including second-team All-OVC forward Brendan Terry, who posted 11.2 points and 4.5 rebounds as a freshman transfer. Guards Braxton Stacker (8.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg) and BJ Ward (8.4 ppg, 51 made 3s) round out a dynamic backcourt tabbed as OVC Players to Watch. Picked second in the preseason poll behind Little Rock, SEMO reached the conference championship game last year before a narrow loss to SIUE. Sixth-year head man Brad Korn, the reigning OVC Coach of the Year, has SEMO at 74-85 overall but boasts two titles in three seasons – a blueprint for upsets.
History tilts heavily toward the Billikens in this lopsided series, which dates to SLU’s inaugural 1914-15 campaign. The Bills lead 12-4 overall, including a 5-1 edge since SEMO joined Division I in 1991-92. SLU’s first-ever opponent was the then-Missouri State Normal School (now SEMO), falling 28-21 in a 1915 thriller at Muegge’s Gymnasium – site of the current SLU Hospital. More recently, the Billikens dominated openers in 2018-19 (75-65) and 2013-14 (87-64), though SEMO snagged a 65-49 upset in 2004 at Enterprise Center. With Chaifetz’s raucous crowd behind them, SLU should aim to extend their home dominance and bury any early-season jitters.
Fans won’t miss a beat: Catch the action on FanDuel Sports Network Extra (Tom Ackerman, Billiken legend Scott Highmark, Tamar Sher) or stream via ESPN+. Radio coverage hits 104.1 FM/1120 AM KMOX and the Varsity Network App, with Hall of Famers Bob Ramsey (starting his 40th season as “Voice of the Billikens”) and Earl Austin Jr. (year 35) on the call – a broadcast duo that’s become synonymous with SLU hoops.
Win or not, the Billikens roll on with Chicago State on Thursday (Nov. 6, 7 p.m.), part of a women’s doubleheader against MTSU (4 p.m.). The homestand continues against Lindenwood (Nov. 10), Grand Canyon (Nov. 15), and Purdue Fort Wayne (Nov. 21) – a gauntlet designed to forge contenders. Tip-off tomorrow promises fireworks: tradition vs. tenacity, with SLU’s depth and home edge poised to shine in the 111th chapter of Billiken Basketball.
