Bay Area Billiken

A poster on ND's board claims that SLU did not want to play in Chicago, believing that would be too pro-Notre Dame (as if Ft. Wayne will not be). Frankly, that makes no sense because Chicago would be much easier to access for Billiken fans than Ft. Wayne. Bus trips are reportedly already being planned from South Bend for that 92 mile trip. That poster said SLU wanted the game somewhere in Southern Illinois, which begs the question of where? That seems a bit hard to believe.

Did we get "domered," "NITpicked," or both? It would not be as disturbing had it not surfaced that the game was in St. Louis. Even a Notre Dame website reporter had the game in St. Louis. It appears that Savvis Center itself was available for a game early next week. A game there against Notre Dame might have drawn a huge crowd, a near sellout, as in 20,000 fans. It appears that Notre Dame wants no part of playing SLU in St. Louis. It also appears that the NIT wants Notre Dame playing in the semi-finals in New York. The way to handle this is for our Billikens to use this for motivation, play a great game, and beat Notre Dame in Ft. Wayne. GO BILLIKENS!

Thank you to one of the greatest Billikens of all time.

Those that claim that the Billikens play boring basketball (see Marquette board) must not have seen that second half today. The Billikens scored 50 points in the second half and shot 12-17 from three point land for the game. SLU was positively on fire in that second half. That was a great victory over a sizzling hot and talented DePaul team. Since when is playing tough defense and doing what you have to do to win give the talent you have boring? These references to the Billikens on the Marquette board are fascinating. Perhaps some of the venom stems from Coach Soderberg previously being at Wisconsin. Coach Soderberg is doing a great, great job coaching our Billikens. Frankly, I do not think SLU's talent is as thin as some claim. If we had an Anthony Bonner type at power forward, we would at least be a top 40 team. But it is fun to watch these guys play nonetheless. This is written by an alumnus whose 4 undergraduate years at SLU coincided with the "Ron Ekker Era."

The RPI does play a role in NIT selections, but the NIT will make exceptions for New York area teams. For instance, a New York or New Jersey area team with an RPI in the low 100's that has had a good season will often get an NIT bid to the exclusion of someone else. Right now per a pure following of the RPI, the NIT would cut off at #97 Nebraska. But #98 Northwestern, #103 Georgetown, and #116 St. Peter's would probably get bids, in the case of Northwestern and Georgetown because of their names, and in the case of St. Peter's due to its location. And bigger schools usually get some deference due to the perceived ability to draw crowds.

stands at 87, 88, or 89, depending on the RPI service, after yesterday's big win over Charlotte. An RPI in that range would likely get SLU an NIT bid in the recently expanded 40 team NIT. The game Wednesday night against Marquette is another must win game for SLU. We have to protect the home court.

The game was on ESPN+ on DirecTV, and I watched it here on the Left Coast. It was a huge win for St. Louis U., one that could save the season and solidify an NIT bid. The game was not our best game, but any win is important, especially one over an almost certain NCAA team in Charlotte. Plus it was a total team victory. We are not that far away from being a top team. We have suffered very close losses at home against Arizona and DePaul and on the road at Marquette. Hopefully, SLU will get a needed RPI boost from this win. It did sound on TV that the crowd was a factor at the end. And now let's settle the score with Marquette! Go Billikens! We are proud of you.

I have 2 SLU degrees: B.S. in Business Administration in 1982 and J.D. in 1985. The four undergraduate years coincided with the Ron Ekker Era. ... I served as SGA Athletic Committee Chairman my Senior year, and we started the SLU Crew. My roommate and I met with Ekker, who was also A.D., prior to the Bronze Boot soccer game and finally were able to convince him to allow us to restore our Billiken mascot. The Billiken wore an old SLU hockey uniform at the Bronze Boot Game at Busch Stadium and a tuxedo at the basketball games at the St. Louis Arena (then called the Checkerdome). The Billiken head sat in my dorm room at Gries. Hall Senior year. We also formed a renegade student pep band in the dorm that played at one end of the basketball court, while the rent-a-band played at the other end. Now we have a great pep band. I am so proud at how far our alma mater has come since those days. I was a SLU law student during the first 3 years of the Rich Grawer Era. After graduating from SLU Law School, I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1985. Thus, I regrettably missed the great 18-12 turnaround season of 1985-86. I have been able to see the Billikens in person for the NCAA appearances in Baltimore, Atlanta, and Cleveland. We were all on Cloud 9 in Baltimore. I remember looking up at the scoreboard when SLU led #1 seeded Wake Forest 16-0 and thinking that I must be in heaven. Wake Forest was led by Tim Duncan. The Billikens will always be my #1 team. We are going to be back in the Midwest over the Holidays this year, and are planning to see the Billikens play Butler and Kansas State.

In reviewing the old records, in the 9 years that SLU was a member of the MCC with Xavier, SLU was 7-16 against XU, 5-4 at home at the Old Kiel, 2-7 on the road, and evidently 0-5 at neutral tournament sites. Xavier will be a formidable opponent.

SLU's presence in the A-10 does make the league stronger, and that is a principal reason for the support of Xavier and Dayton. In addition, the presence of another strong Midwestern member helps Xavier and Dayton with the league's balance of power. Re Loyola, for reasons unbeknownst to me, DePaul has almost always been the bigger fish in Chicago. Any future Papal Conference would more likely include DePaul, as opposed to Loyola, even though Loyola is the Jesuit school. DePaul and Loyola have resumed their nonconference series. But one wonders if the presence of Loyola in the MCC made DePaul stay out of that league when Marquette joined it.

still resides about 100 miles to the West in Boone County, Missouri. By the way, how long does Duck Season last in Boone County?

Ultimately, everyone is looking out for #1 first. For decades, I have hoped for the formation of the Papal (Vatican) Conference. But the Catholic schools never seem to be on the same page. If Notre Dame ever wanted to be part of such a conference, I am convinced it would happen. When Marquette, DePaul, and Notre Dame were all independents, they were big rivals that played each other twice a year. Marquette and DePaul are basically along for the ride with Notre Dame. SLU has not played Notre Dame since the 1983-84 season when Digger Phelps became upset with SLU for allegedly holding the ball in a close, low scoring game in South Bend. In this latest case, the Big East's Catholic schools have access to the Big East's Monday night primetime ESPN time slot, the NCAA's automatic bid, and the venue of Madison Square Garden for the Big East Tournament. As such, those schools are electing to stay in the Big East- for now. Many observers expect the Big East to ultimately splinter. This poster is certainly not a defender of Marquette and DePaul; I am a Billiken forever. But, unfortunately, I don't think the time has yet come for the Papal Conference. But it may come some time, and I just don't think we should burn any bridges now.

It will be good to renew the old rivalry with Xavier. Did we ever beat them in Cincinnati Gardens during the old MCC days? I don't think so. We did beat X several times at the Old Kiel. But we lost at least 2 MCC Tournament championship games to the Musketeers, which kept SLU out of the Big Dance. Xavier has a strong, nationally ranked program, and has had its way with the Cincinnati Bearcats in recent years.

Even though we are disappointed, we should not blame Marquette, or DePaul for that matter, for going to the Big East. This poster remembers how hard it was to get Marquette to give up independent status to join us in the old MCC (now the Horizon League) and how good it was to finally be in the same conference with Marquette. Then previously independent and then powerful DePaul was the instigating force behind the formation of the Great Midwest Conference, which included SLU and Marquette. The Great Midwest Conference had potential, but then the de facto merger with the Metro Conference occurred, largely to include Louisville. From that merger was spawned Conference USA with its many factions and interests. (One wonders why Louisville simply did not join the Great Midwest Conference.) Ironically, SLU now finds itself in a similar position as Xavier (MCC) and Dayton (Great Midwest) in the two previous conference shakeups. It is good to have Xavier and Dayton apparently championing our candidacy for the Atlantic 10. We should not burn any bridges with Marquette and DePaul, as some day we may all be together again, and certainly, we want to play them in future nonconference games. Marquette and DePaul have been our friends; they are fellow Catholic schools, and in Marquette's case, a Jesuit brother. It just is hard to lose your four biggest rivals, all in the same day, even if we knew it was coming.

Marquette and DePaul want to be in the same conference with Notre Dame. Remember when they were all independents, they (along with Dayton) played each other twice a year, home and home, in the final years, in a de facto 4 team conference (of independents). In the Al McGuire Era, some of Marquette's players were from New York City. The Big East perceives Marquette as having a strong basketball tradition, even though SLU was more than holding its own with Marquette in recent times prior to the arrival of Wade. The Big East wants DePaul because of the Chicago market. It seems that Notre Dame holds most of the cards. If the Irish want to stay in the Big East, Marquette and DePaul will follow. If Notre Dame would agree to the formation of the much hoped for Papal Conference, it would happen.