Some more love for Bills.. from Burwell this time

[dneuner]

Tournaments are a blast, but so is intrigue just ahead

by: Bryan Burwell

Look closely, because we're on the verge of witnessing college basketball at its very best. The last few weeks of the regular season are the perfect run-up to the Madness because this is where your favorite teams are not quite under the spell of all those things that are not under their control. There is no need to fret over such arbitrary stuff as RPI ratings systems, strength of schedules, Top 25 polls or the many mysteries of what does or doesn't influence the members of the tournament's selection committee.

This is the simplest time of them all.

In February, all you need to do is win.

....

The most interesting story of all could be the green but growing St. Louis U. What sort of team are the Billikens (18-8, 9-3 in the A-10) right now? A lot of nervous folks in the A-10 are wondering the same thing, and they have to be absolutely terrified about the answer to that question. It's hard to imagine that this young SLU squad will already be prepared to step up to that top shelf in the conference with 23rd-ranked Richmond or 20th-ranked Temple by the time the conference tournament begins. But with home victories already against the first-place Spiders, Rhode Island (20-6) and Dayton (18-8), the Billikens could be just young enough and good enough to end up messing up the NCAA prospects of the A-10's traditional ruling class.

A few weeks ago, the folks at the Atlantic 10 offices were dreaming of hitting the NCAA lottery with their loftiest dreams (six tourney bids). But what happens if SLU keeps surprising us and keeps on winning at home (Xavier, Duquesne and Temple) and one road game at Dayton?

The third-place Billikens have lost only once all season at home (14-1) and have a chance to knock off the two second-place teams (Xavier on Wednesday, Temple a week later) with two of their biggest games of the season at Chaifetz. With six consecutive victories and the possibility of closing out the regular season with three out of four games at home, I don't know how good SLU is, but I can't wait to find out.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/co...51?OpenDocument

I snipped the Billikens portion. He also talks about Mizzou and briefly about Illinois.

[slunardi]

Tournaments are a blast, but so is intrigue just ahead

by: Bryan Burwell

....

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/co...51?OpenDocument

I snipped the Billikens portion. He also talks about Mizzou and briefly about Illinois.

Don't know who those other teams are. There's only one team in town, baby. The Billikens.

[slu72]

Don't know who those other teams are. There's only one team in town, baby. The Billikens.

Sadly, there's a hell of a lot of Mizzou fans in the Lou. Check the most popular reads next to TT's articles about the Bills. Whenever there's a Mizzery story it's in the top 10. Usually middle of the pack. That's why we're still the red headed step child in our own home town.

[thetorch]

Sadly, there's a hell of a lot of Mizzou fans in the Lou. Check the most popular reads next to TT's articles about the Bills. Whenever there's a Mizzery story it's in the top 10. Usually middle of the pack. That's why we're still the red headed step child in our own home town.

Also in most of Tom's articles the comments section is filled with Mi$$ou fans saying who cares rather than any discussion of SLU hoops.

[WH]

I think this is the first time I have ever seen the phrase, A-10 Royalty. Wonder what Burwell is drinking!

I suppose X can be considered royalty, and Temple is back on top again, but Richmond, Dayton and Charlotte? Uh-UH.

In any case, SLU has not cost any A-10 a bid. Charlotte beat the Bills, of course, and Dayton can look at losses to St. Joe's and Duquesne. URI just isn't beating enough of the league's best teams. A loss by Temple or Xavier to SLU won't hurt their prospects at all.

I also doubt anyone in the A-10 is getting nervous about SLU being good. Really, now. The league will be even better if the Bills are good and RM is back in the national spotlight. All I can say is: more please. I think most A-10 fans think the same.

[Cowboy]

I think this is the first time I have ever seen the phrase, A-10 Royalty. Wonder what Burwell is drinking!

I suppose X can be considered royalty, and Temple is back on top again, but Richmond, Dayton and Charlotte? Uh-UH.

In any case, SLU has not cost any A-10 a bid. Charlotte beat the Bills, of course, and Dayton can look at losses to St. Joe's and Duquesne. URI just isn't beating enough of the league's best teams. A loss by Temple or Xavier to SLU won't hurt their prospects at all.

I also doubt anyone in the A-10 is getting nervous about SLU being good. Really, now. The league will be even better if the Bills are good and RM is back in the national spotlight. All I can say is: more please. I think most A-10 fans think the same.

-WH, thanks for the visit, you stay away too long

[WH]

I read the board every week. Love to see all the excitement here. First time, really, since SLU joined the A-10.

Wish I could be as excited about my program, UMass, which used be considered, er, A-10 Royalty! (see how easy that rolls off my tongue, er, keyboard).

Looking forward to the X and Temple games. The Bills are either going to shock the league, or fall back a bit as expected because of youth. My guess is that X is too big, too athletic, playing real well right now. Temple is much like SLU. Dunphy runs a lot of screens and picks and is probably the most similar coach in the league to RM. But the Bills match up pretty well.

SLU is definitely the team I would least like to play in the A-10 tourney.

[Bill_Ken R]

Thanks WH, I enjoy and appreciate your enlightened commentary on the A-10 board. You are a brilliant observer. Hang around more. This is a good bunch. (For the most part).

[SluSignGuy]

-WH, thanks for the visit, you stay away too long

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