The University News A Student Voice of Saint Louis University Since 1921
R E A D Y
T O
ROAR
2010-2011 MEN’S BASKETBALL PREVIEW
2
Table of Contents
What’s Inside?
4 6 7 8
What is this team about? Young talent, developing stars and a tough road ahead dominate the storyline for this year’s team.
Leading by example Captain Paul Eckerle sets the bar high as he balances basketball with a rigorous academic course load.
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! The dynamic duo of Cody Ellis and Christian Salecich add international flare to the Billikens’ roster.
Predicting the A-10 Recognized as one of the best mid-major conferences in the country, the Atlantic 10 provides challenges for SLU.
12 13 15
New kids on the block After impressive performances in exhibition play, four Billiken freshmen look to make their mark.
The supporting cast It’s hard to go it alone. Majerus gets help from four assistant coaches in building this budding program.
Season Schedule Five Top-40 teams on tap for the Bills this year, including the defending national champion Duke Blue Devils.
unewsonline.com The University News editor-in-chief Jonathan Ernst (314) 977-1590 eic.unews@gmail.com Sports editor CHRIS ACKELS Assoc. Sports editor DERRICK NEUNER sports.unews@gmail.com Design Director Brianna Radici design.unews@gmail.com pHOTOS BY: RYAN GIACOMINO copy editor SARAH MAREK copydesk.unews@gmail.com Contact us: Busch Student Center Suite 354 Newsroom: (314) 977-2812 unews.slu@gmail.com Advertising: (314) 977-2813 ads.unews@gmail.com unewsonline.com facebook.com/theunews twitter.com/theunews
unewsonline.com
MEET MAJERUS
The man behind the revival
3
Head Coach By DERRICK NEUNER Associate Sports Editor
Rick Majerus is a busy man. I had been trying to steal 10 minutes of his time for several days before he graciously invited me to meet him on a Sunday afternoon at the Chase Park Plaza. Between practices, meetings with the athletic director and an exhibition game, not to mention preparation for tomorrow night’s season opener, Coach Majerus finally had time to talk. It’s not every day that I’m given the opportunity to talk at length with a future Hall of Fame basketball coach. But there I was, waiting for h i m , with a list of questions a b o u t him: why Saint Louis University, how much longer will you coach, boxers or briefs? Okay, maybe not the last one. But Rick didn’t want to talk about himself. He didn’t want to go into his 11 berths into the NCAA Tournament, his almost 500 career wins, or how a former walk-on has come to be known as one of the most prolific minds in the world of college basketball. No, Rick Majerus was there to talk about his plan to win with the SLU Billikens. To talk about one, though, is to talk about the other. Majerus came to SLU having never had a losing season; the Billikens were last in the NCAA Tournament by a fluke Conference USA championship in 2000. When University President Lawrence Biondi, S.J., unceremoniously fired thencoach Brad Soderberg and hired Majerus, he didn’t hire the big man to just win games. The goal was the NCAAs, and Majerus was Biondi’s guy. And, as of July, they found themselves on a wave of national attention: this was the year that Rick Majerus would be back in the Dance, everyone was sure. Finally, after all the struggles, SLU was on the map. Then, on Oct. 13, with just 18 words, the foundations of the program were dismissed from school. In one paragraph, the program was starting over. “This year is going to be the greatest challenge of my coaching career,” Majerus said. “I’ve never faced a challenge where you design a team, you build a team, you recruit a team, and
then, all of a sudden, the guts another is working in the Indiana are taking out of it. You’re driv- governor’s office, and how only a ing a car without a battery.” handful of former players didn’t It’s not surprising that a man graduate. used to success, and easy sucHe also understands how difcess, occasionally laments his ficult having Majerus as a father situation. Consider: you study figure can be. for hours and still get a C on “I don’t know if I’m a hard the exam. After all that work, coach to play for, but I’m a truthnothing to show for it. So, I let ful coach,” he said. “Some guys Coach continue elaborating on embrace that and others don’t. his day-to-day attempts to grasp I’m always on them. I’m on them the situation. about their academics, the con“The timing of the decision duct of their life, and obviously was unfortunate … it’s gut basketball. But they get better... wrenching,” he continued. “It’s “You don’t have to get all As, hard for the fabric of the team. but you have to give an A-effort, They all came in together, and and then I’ll help you get the rest then bam, two of your team- of the way.” mates are gone. Majerus also recounted how “And we revert back to where “the first person to call me we were. Now instead of being on my birthday will be Andre the youngest, we’re one of the Miller’s mom. My own sisters ten youngest. Players are play- forget my birthday sometimes,” ing out of position, playing more he laughed, “but I’ll get cards minutes than they are used to, from former players and their and they are playing multiple families. I got the nicest letter positions at once. from Kevin Lisch a few days ago. But I feel that we’ve got to Those things mean a lot to me.” chart a course where we get Being a Hall of Fame coach better every day, and we have so has more benefits than free far, and let the winning take care hotel rooms and no car insurof itself. Put ourselves in a posi- ance. See, Rick Majerus has a tion where time, points and age chance to change people’s lives. work for us.” That’s an opportunity, he said, As our conversation weaved that makes all the hard rigors of into the details of the season the season worthwhile. (“if you have “It’s ver y good practices, rewarding for winning takes me to be able to This year is care of itself”), help out those why Majerus going to be the who can’t help agreed to play themselves, the national greatest challenge those who are champions Duke of my coaching struggling with (“I think it will career. cancer,” he said. be good for us”), “Fortunately I —Rick Majerus and how he was can raise money offered a chance to support charito leave SLU this year and ties that help way-ward kids, return to ESPN, our conversa- cancer patients, the Special tion gradually drifted to where I Olympics, scholarship foundahad wanted to start. tions to help underprivileged Finally, we were talking about kids get to college, things that Rick Majerus, the man. You see, I’m very fond of.” though caricatures often depict At this point, it was time “Big Rick” as an out-of-control to talk basketball again. After basketball coach more con- all, with the season just a few cerned with his dinner than his days away, Coach Majerus can’t team, after 20 minutes of talk- worry too much about getting ing about his players, Majerus his 500th win or whether or not finally opened up about himself; he’d return after his contract what I learned is not what you’d expires after the 2011-12 season. expect. There are films to be watched, Majerus quit his dream job, donors to court, interviews to do coaching at USC, to be with his and charities to raise money for. mother; he has several times And that’s just his Monday. taken penalties from the NCAA So I asked Rick Majerus one to help his players; and this is final question: at the end of the a man that deeply cares about day, what surprises you about the success of his players off the your team? court. “I want to be pleasantly surMajerus has no children, so prised by their maturity level it’s easy to see how each year and their effort,” he answers he adds a few more sons to quietly. “We have a plan … but the Majerus family. He told me we take it day-by-day.” about how one former player is Such is the life of Rick a spokesperson for State Farm, Majerus.
“
”
4
unewsonline.com
Billiken Basketball
With 6 freshmen and 4 sophomores on the roster, the Billikens are truly
Young at Heart last year’s squad, Kwamain Mitchell and Willie Reed. Although this challenge was unexpected, the other crucial challenge confronting the 2010-2011 Billikens Saint Louis University will be a familiar one: playing without any seniors on men’s basketball head the roster. coach Rick Majerus took Last year’s team achieved 23 victories without a sincharge of the program in the gle senior on the roster. If the Billikens are to improve 2007-2008 season, and the team their win total this year, they will have to do so without finished the year with 16 wins. seniors yet again. The following year, the Billikens Juniors Kyle Cassity and Brian Conklin, together increased their win total by two. with redshirt junior Paul Eckerle, will begin the seaAnd last season, SLU finished the son as the most experienced players on the roster that year with 23 victories. will have to fill the void that comes from having no The Billikens of last year earned seniors. those victories and a fourth place “It’s a little less of an impact this year, though,” finish in the Atlantic 10, despite being Cassity said. “Last year was the first time we’ve ever picked by the coaches to finish tenth been through it, but now at least we have been through in the conference. This season, SLU has it. And Paul Eckerle is basically a senior, although he is been picked to finish sixth. technically a redshirt junior. But it’s Sophomore Cor y not going to bother us… You just Remekun said he does not have to come out and play no matter The guys and coaches how old you are.” care about preseason predictions, and neither does junior really helped out and If you are accustomed to inexpeKyle Cassity. rience, made us feel at home. enced? does that make you experi“It really doesn’t matter where we are picked to us—we’re going —Christian Salecich Billiken fans are hoping so— to play hard no matter what,” because many coaches, players and Remekun said. journalists are anticipating a very “It’s preseason,” Cassity said. “It means nothing. strong A-10 Conference, perhaps even better than last When conference games start, that’s when we’ll year when four A-10 teams qualified for the NCAA start worrying about where we are. Last year, we tournament. were picked tenth and finished fourth. So it really “I believe it’s an improved conference,” Cassity means nothing.” said. “It’s a great conference, I think. [Coach Majerus] For history to repeat itself and for SLU to exceed sometimes talks bad about it because of all the travel, preseason expectations, the team will have to over- but I like it, and it makes it almost easier to get into come a couple of major hurdles. the NCAA tournament, being from such a good conThe first and most obvious bit of adversity to over- ference.” come will be the lack of two regular starters from SLU will face stiff competition from a variety of A-10 By ANDREW BUSH Staff Writer
“
Jordair Jett Freshman No. 5, Guard
Paul Eckerle Redshirt Junior No. 10, Guard
Mike McCall Brian Conklin Christian Salecich Dwayne Evans Freshman No. 11, Guard
Junior No. 14, Forward
Sophomore No. 15, Guard
Freshman No. 21, Forward
Kyle Cassity Junior No. 23, Guard
,,
Cody Ellis
Sophomore No. 24, Forward
Cory Remekun Sophomore No. 32, Forward
Rob Loe
Freshman No. 51, Forward
unewsonline.com
5
Billiken Basketball Billikens by the Numbers
2009-2010 Season: total wins
rebounds per game
points per game
rebounds per game
33.5
23
61.9%
63.4
This Year’s Team:
teams. Cassity singled out Temple, Dayton, Xavier, Charlotte and Duquesne as teams to watch out for. “The team that surprises you is Duquesne. They’re always normally pretty good, and so is Charlotte. Those are two teams that a lot of people don’t think of. It’s a really good conference because you have those big schools, like Dayton, Temple and Xavier, and then you also have those schools that aren’t always talked about, like Charlotte,” Cassity said. Perhaps one of the reasons that the A-10 has so many contenders has to do with the sheer size of the conference. The A-10 consists of 14 teams, which means that every team in the conference plays every other team once, then plays three teams twice in one season (once at home and once on the road). This season, SLU will play twice against Xavier, Dayton and Duquesne. “It’s not easy, but that’s exactly what we wanted. We wanted those extra games with Xavier and Dayton,” Cassity said. Although the multiple games against two conference favorites is a daunting task, it may also turn out to be a blessing in terms of SLU’s strength of schedule. Last season, the Billikens played a lighter schedule than Dayton, and Dayton ended up competing in the NIT, despite the fact that they finished behind the Billikens in the conference standings. The extra games against Dayton and Xavier should give SLU a boost in terms of strength of schedule. The December road game against preseason No. 1 Duke will also certainly help SLU’s strength of schedule. But in the meantime, the Billikens are preparing for their tougher schedule by improving on last year’s weaknesses. “Our defense was really good last year; we need to keep that where it’s at,” Cassity said. “But sometimes our offensive can become a little stagnant; there were times last year where we didn’t move too much. But other than that, our defense just needs to stay where it’s
Year
at, and individually for me, I need to work on my jump shot and be a little more aggressive on the offensive end.” Remekun also mentioned stagnation as a problem from last year’s team that has been addressed in preseason practices. In particular, Remekun wants to avoid the slow starts that plagued the Billikens last year. “As a team, we need to work on coming out harder,” Remekun said. “A lot of times last year, we would start off slow and be down at halftime. We got into trouble playing down to the level of our competition. We just need to come out and play hard from the beginning every game.” An increased emphasis on up-tempo, transition offense might alleviate these slow starts that Remekun speaks of. “We’ve been working on getting up and running a little bit in practice,” Cassity said. “Obviously, we’re never going to be a team that runs up the floor and shoots a pull-up jumper with 30 seconds left on the shot clock. We have worked on pushing the ball up the court a little bit, but we’re going to also be able to pull back and run our half court offense.” Question marks litter the 2010-2011 SLU men’s basketball team. How will they compensate for the permanent absence of Willie Reed and the uncertain future of Kwamain Mitchell? Will Cody Ellis, Christian Salecich and newcomer Rob Loe comprise a majorityOceanic starting lineup? Who will be the starting point guard? No matter what, the Billikens’ goals will not change. Winning the Atlantic 10 and qualifying for the NCAA tournament are the goals that motivate SLU. Their pursuit of these goals begins on Nov. 12, in the Chaifetz Arena, against Austin Peay.
Billiken Basketball: Through the Years Season Record A-10 Record Head Coach
2005-06
16-13
10-6
B. Soderberg
2006-07
20-13
8-8
B. Soderberg
2007-08
16-15
7-9
Majerus
2008-09
18-14
8-8
Majerus
2009-10
23-13
11-5
Majerus
6 freshmen 4 sophomores 3 juniors 0 seniors 4 coaches Other Facts:
6’ 11”
tallest player on the team (Rob Loe)
6 NCAA Tournament appearances
0
number of losing seasons Rick Majerus has coached
7,149 average attendance at Chaifetz Arena during the 2009-2010 season
6
Team Captain
Team Captain: Paul Eckerle By CHAD CARSON Staff Writer
unewsonline.com
basketball medical school captain leader travel torn ACL spokesman student athlete torn MCL pianist dedicated inspiring golfer point guard redshirt injuries academics basketball medical school captain leader travel torn ACL spokesman student athlete academics pianist relationships dedicated inspiring golfer point guard redshirt injuries academics basketball medical school captain leader travel torn ACL spokesman student athlete torn MCL pianist relationships dedicated inspiring golfer point guard academics basketball medical school captain leader torn ACL spokesman student athlete
After tearing his ACL and MCL prior to the start of the 2009-2010 basketball season, Paul Eckerle played an active role in supporting his team off the court. In addition to his successes on the court, Eckerle has achieved the lofty goal of a 3.89 GPA studying Biology and taking Pre-Med classes. But what matters to Eckerle is basketball, where his goal is “to contribute in the most complete way possible to helping our team achieve its ultimate goal.” Following the injury and taking a medical redshirt for his junior year, Eckerle underwent a month of preoperative rehab before undergoing surgery last August. After surgery, Eckerle participated in daily rehab and started to resume upper body weight training a month after surgery. While Eckerle participated in rehab, he played an active role on the team off the court. “I felt like I was still active and helping the guys out as much as I could,” Eckerle said. Present at preseason practices, Eckerle eventually dedicated himself to knowing each of his teammates’ tendencies on the court believing that “the true value of a teammate is not seen on the court during the game, but rather it’s the value that you can contribute every day at practice,” Eckerle said. “Even with his injury, Paul was one of the most positive guys to be around last year,” teammate Christian Salecich said. “We had a tough stretch, and he kept us positive the whole way.” “Paul’s been around forever; he’s like the old wise man. He knows anything and everything from the game itself to keeping us focused,” Salecich said. “When the games started coming, it was a lot harder to manage being on the sideline,”Eckerle said. During the season, he studied the opposing teams’ plays in order to call them out from the bench and remained
Up to the Challenge
focused on his rehab. This summer, Eckerle returned to the court for the first time in a controlled scrimmage. Because of his injury, Eckerle is currently a junior in terms of athletic eligibility but a senior in terms of academic eligibility with over 150 credit hours. In fact, he had the opportunity to graduate after three years with a degree in Biology but decided to try to play one more year. In order to stretch out his time at Saint Louis University, Eckerle also earned a certificate in business. He is considering remaining for another year in order to play basketball, but “there’s not much left to do academically without being totally unproductive,” Eckerle said. While still undecided about what lies in store for him in the upcoming academic year, Eckerle has already applied to SLU, the University of Missouri at Columbia, and Washington University in St. Louis for medical school. “If I get into medical school, that would be a very difficult thing to turn down since it’s so difficult to get in,” Eckerle said. While at SLU, Eckerle has established
an impressive academic record, which he credits to his time management skills. “People always ask how I find the time, and the thing I have to say is that the time is there; you just have to know how to use it efficiently,” Eckerle said. “There may be some things that you have to sacrifice, but the things that I gave up far outweigh the opportunity cost. It’s so worth it in terms of being able to achieve the things I have academically and athletically,” Eckerle said. While Eckerle has thought about the 2011-2012 year, his focus remains on this year and in particularly, on basketball. Eckerle hopes to contribute to his team, “whether it means I play for 30 minutes, 10 minutes or not at all, if it’s necessary to achieve our team goal. That’s what I’m here for, and that’s why I wanted to come back for this one year,” Eckerle said. Eckerle hopes for a very successful season that includes SLU winning the Atlantic 10. “It’s a lofty but realistic goal, so I think it’s appropriate to strive for something like that,” Eckerle said. Lofty goals are nothing news; as a junior at Saint Francis Borgia High School in Washington, Missouri, he and his team-
mates won the 2006 Class-4 Missouri State Basketball Championship. Reflecting on his former team’s achievement, Eckerle hopes for the same sort of experience this year by winning the A-10. “That was a special experience; it’s something that you never forget,” Eckerle said. Off the court, Eckerle focused on his studies, becoming the valedictorian of his graduating class in 2007. In addition to his successful high school basketball career, Eckerle also found success on the golf course. “Golf is my biggest hobby, and I still love playing every chance I get,” Eckerle said. Among his other hobbies, Eckerle enjoys playing the piano. “I had to give it up when I came to college because I don’t have time for it or access to a piano, but I do still enjoy it and play a little bit when I go home,” Eckerle said. In the meantime, Eckerle is all about basketball and his team. “The guys here are special, and we have a really good bond that causes me to want to win not only for myself, but also for them,” Eckerle said.
unewsonline.com
Duo from
Player Profiles
Down Under
Sophomores Cody Ellis and Christian Salecich took a long road to get to Saint Louis. Today the two are close friends and huge keys to the Billikens success. By BRIAN BOYD Staff Writer
What is the difference between Cody Ellis and Christian Salecich- sophomore basketball sensations, roommates and close friends- and most other students here on campus? About a foot in height, a whole lot of athletic ability and roughly 9,000 miles. Salecich, a 6-foot-3, 190 pound guard, and Ellis, a 6-foot-8, 240 pound forward, hail from Gold Coast and Perth, Australia, respectively. The two Aussie natives have been integral components of the Billiken’s hardwood success since the day they arrived. Salecich started 31 games as a freshman last season, chipping in 6.4
PPG and providing lockdown defense from the guard position. Ellis, the sharp-shooting big man, started 19 of the 22 games in which he played, averaging nearly 11 points and 4.9 rebounds per game en route to being named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team. Finding success on the hardwood together is nothing new to this duo. The two have been competing together and against each other since they were 14-years-old. Salecich and Ellis met competing against each other in Australia playing for their respective state teams and competing for national supremacy. “If you make your state team, you go on to the Australian National Championships,” Salecich said. “Here it would be like Illinois vs. Missouri then, say, Illinois vs. Florida.” Salecich’s Queensland squad boasted multiple future NCAA Division I players and won the U-20 Australian Nationals. “It wasn’t really fair,” Ellis joked. After competing against each other, the two found themselves representing Australia together in the 2007 Oceania tournament, earning a silver medal, and in the 2008 Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Germany as well. The two eventually began playing together full-time at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), a world-renowned athletic training and educational institute that houses the top athletes in Australia. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a whopping 263 former or current AIS athletes competed. The performances of Ellis and Salecich earned them high praise not only in Australia, but internationally as well. Chris Harrimann, assistant coach at SLU and Sydney native, was quick to recognize the talent that the two possessed. “The pro league back home isn’t too good at the moment,” Ellis said. “It’s getting better, but it’s all we have aside from the Institute when it comes to basketball. College has been the dream since we started.” Before the two could suit up for SLU, however, they had an opportunity to represent their homeland on their biggest stage
Christian Salecich
yet. Both Ellis and Salecich were selected to play on the Under-19 Australian men’s team at the FIBA World Championships, a tournament perhaps only second to the Olympics in prestige. Both Ellis and Salecich cite their experiences in international competition as building blocks for their successes as Billikens, acknowledging the similarities and contrasts between the Australian and American styles of play. “You come over here, and the speed is so much faster compared to what we were used to back home,” Salecich said. “Even at the world tournament, we were the team that ran… we [then came] over here, and it’s like ‘wow.’ It’s a lot more scrappy in Australia.” Individually, developing their games overseas has benefitted both. Ellis, despite his 6’8” frame, was one of the leading 3-point shooters for the Billikens last year, knocking down 39 triples and playing well in the post. “In the international game, you see a lot of the bigger guys that are able to step out and shoot the three and stretch the defense,” Ellis said. “It’s definitely something I worked on back home, and the coaches here like that I can stretch the defense.” Playing against top-tier competition from a young age aided the two in some of the more subtle aspects of the game as well. Despite the distance from their homeland, the two made a smooth transition to living in the United States. With the support of each other, the coaches and their teammates, the two found a comfort zone shortly after their arrivals. “The guys and coaches really helped out and made us feel at home,” Salecich said. “It’s good to have [assistant coach] Chris Harriman, another Australian, to talk to about it. It was tough, but we were always away from home a lot, traveling and living at the Institute.” With a season of collegiate play and a breadth of international experience, Salecich and Ellis are looking not only to fill up the stat sheet, but to provide leadership to a young team. Both hope to draw off of the successes and struggles
7
Cody Ellis
of their basketball careers to guide the Billikens to success. “We have a lot of freshman coming in, and we have two new point guards,” Salecich said. “A year under our belt and guys like Kyle [Cassity], Paul [Eckerle] and [Brian] Conklin, we’re all able to give the new guys some direction. “I know that in key situations in games, we can draw on the double overtime wins we’ve had and games like our fifteen-point comeback at Dayton,” he continued. “You see a lot of teams that have sophomores and juniors not seeing a lot of playing time, spending a lot of time on the bench freshman year,” Ellis added. “They have to get used to the game, so it’s definitely an advantage for us to have that year of experience, where most kids are sitting on the bench.” Off the court, the two friends are, well, typical college kids. From studying to working to relaxing, they say they live the average American college life. And although they have lots of time left in Billiken blue, the duo already knows what their ultimate basketball goal is. “Our biggest dream is to play for our country in the Olympics,” Salecich said. “Anytime you get a chance to represent your country, it’s a great feeling.”
8
Atlantic 10
A Look at the Atlantic 10 1. Temple
Ranked by The University News’ Sports Desk
Temple comes into the season as the only nationally-ranked member of the Atlantic 10, sitting at No. 22 on the AP Poll and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll. The Owls are also the three-time defending champions of the Atlantic 10 Championship crown, as they finished last year with a 29-6 record and a No. 12 national ranking. This year, the Owls return three starters: 6’9” senior forward Lavoy Allen, 6’4” junior guard Juan Fernandez and 6’11” junior forward Micheal Eric. Along with last year’s A-10 Sixth Man of the Year Ramone Moore, expect Temple to hold true as the favorite in conference play. Temple also littered the preseason honors in the A-10. Allen was named First Team All-Conference, as well as the All-Defensive Team. Fernandez was named Second Team All-Conference. The Owls also play an impressive non-conference schedule, including games against Georgetown, Villanova, California, Seton Hall and Maryland.
2. Xavier The Musketeers lost a bona fide superstar when Jordan Crawford left for the NBA this summer. Senior Danté Jackson, junior Tu Holloway and sophomore Mark Lyons will need to compensate for the loss of Crawford. Last season, Holloway established himself as one of the top point guards in the conference and as one of the top free throw shooters in the country. “For us to be as good as we want to be, he has to embrace the responsibility and work that comes with those expectations,” head coach Chris Mack said. “I know he is ready for the challenge.” 6’9” Jason Love, who averaged 11.8 PPG and led the team in rebounds last year, will need to be replaced as well. 7-foot junior Kenny Frease was highly touted in high school, but has yet to dominate. Frease, senior Jamel McLean and 6’8” freshman Jordan Latham will have to score and contribute of the glass for the Muskies to be successful.
3. Richmond Despite losing two starters from last year’s NCAA Tournament team, the Richmond Spiders (26-9, 13-3 Atlantic 10) are poised to duplicate their success under sixth-year coach Chris Mooney. Much of last years team returns, including the 2010 A-10 Player of the Year Kevin Anderson. For the first time in his career, he’ll be without guard David Gonzalez, who was second on the team in scoring. “[Gonzalez] could do a lot of things I could do, but since he’s bigger than me; the best defender was usually on him,” Anderson said. “So now they’re probably going to be on me, so it’s going to be tougher.” The biggest question will be how well the team plays against big men. The pressure will fall on freshman Derrick Williams and senior Dan Geriot. The Spiders non-conference schedule includes Georgia Tech, Arizona State, Seton Hall and a potential game against Purdue. With the returning talent, another 20-win season and NCAA berth is expected in Richmond.
4. Dayton Last year’s team underperformed in Atlantic 10 Conference play, but defeated four consecutive major conference teams to win the National Invitational Tournament. This year, the team hopes to recover from the loss of seven graduated players in combining returning stars and young prospects. “We lost a lot of experience, a lot of wins, and a lot of guts of guys that had to fight through some tough times,” head coach Brian Gregory said. “But we still do have a lot of guys coming back. A group of guys are going to have to take on different roles and expanded roles, and some new guys are going to have to make an impact for us.” Leading the charge for the Flyers will be senior forward Chris Wright and junior forward Chris Johnson. The two led UD in both scoring and rebounds last season, and will have to set the bar high again in terms of their commitment to the team to get the attention of the newcomers.
5. Saint Louis The Bills finished last season with an 11-5 conference record last year, placing fourth in the regular season standings. SLU performed well against the league’s top teams, beating Dayton twice, including a double-overtime winner at home on Mardi Gras weekend. When Temple visited Chaifetz Arena, SLU stayed in the game from beginning to end, losing by just 6 points to the eventual conference champ. Xavier’s visit was also down to the wire, as SLU let a late lead slip and Xavier walked away with a 2-point win. SLU beat Rhode Island at home during the regular season, but lost to the Rams in the first round of the conference tournament. Other than Temple and Xavier, two of the Bills other three losses came in overtime (to George Washington and Charlotte on the road). This year, the Bills host the conference’s big names at home, including Dayton, Xavier and Rhode Island.
6. Rhode Island It’s hard to know exactly what to expect from Rhode Island this year. The team was picked to finish fifth (ahead of the Billikens) in the Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll, taken of coaches and media members. But it’s a team full of good players – rather than one or two standout players. Senior forward Delroy James, standing 6’8”, has an impressive showing in last year’s NIT tournament, where Rhode Island made the final four. James was named to the NIT All Tournament team in March and was named Second Team All-Conference in the A-10’s preseason poll. But James will need support from other key players if Rhode Island will find their way into the bigger tournament this season, namely fellow senior Marquis Jones and sophomore forward Ryan Brooks. The Rhodies non-conference schedule opens with No. 4 Pittsburgh at the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, and closes with a road game at No. 11 Florida.
7. Charlotte After starting out 18-5 overall and 8-1 in Atlantic 10 play, the Niners lost seven of the last eight and missed postseason play all together, leading to the firing of long-time head coach Bobby Lutz and his staff. New head coach Alan Major has four returning starters to work with. 6’6” forward Shamari Spears (16 ppg, 5.9 rpg) leads the Charlotte attack alongside 6’9” sophomore forward Chris Braswell (9.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg). 6’6” senior An’Juan Wilderness is the third member of Charlotte’s returning frontcourt. 6’10” senior center Phil Jones led the team with 65 blocks last season and 6’9” Gokhan Sirin is comfortable from behind the arc with 44 of his 61 shot attempts coming from downtown. There is no doubt that Charlotte has one of the best front courts in the A-10, but with a new head coach and a point guard-by-committee system, this team still has a lot to work on. Charlotte’s non-conference schedule includes Georgia Tech, Oregon State and Tennessee.
unewsonline.com
unewsonline.com
Atlantic 10
Contributors:
Scott Mueller - The Newswire (Xavier) Andrew Prezioso - The Collegian (Richmond) Jacob Rosen - Flyer News (Dayton) John Carpenter - University Times (Charlotte)
Matt Kasznel - The Duquesne Duke (Duquesne) Herb Scribner - The Daily Collegian (UMass) Ryan Papaserge - The Bona Venture (SBU) Chris Ackels - The University News (SLU)
9
8. Duquesne For a team with just one senior last year, there was a lot of turnover on the Dukes roster this offseason. Besides watching senior guard Jason Duty graduate, the team lost third-leading scorer Melquan Bolding (transfer), as well as guard Chase Robinson (transfer), forward Oliver Lewinson (transfer) and center Morakinyo Williams (early graduation). This year, the Dukes hope that the seniors Bill Clark and Damian Saunders can help the Dukes back to the NIT or better. Saunders, recently named one of Sports Illustrated’s top 10 defenders in college basketball, is a nightly stat-sheet filler; he averaged a double-double (15 points, 11.3 rebounds) to go with 2.8 steals and 2.9 blocks a game. But the Dukes will also be counting on production from its five true freshman, particularly highly-touted prospects T.J. McConnell and Joel “Air Jamaica” Wright. Duquesne will lean heavily on guard B.J. Monteiro, who averaged 11 points last season.
9. George Washington George Washington, which has enjoyed recent success and two trips to the NCAA Tournament, has recently been a program in decline. This year will likely be yet another building year for the Colonials, whose weak non-conference schedule provides them little opportunity to shake things up early. Their lone award-winner for the preseason was sophomore Lasan Kromah, who averaged 11.8 points per game and lead the Colonials in three-point shooting, and was named Third Team All Conference. Kromah was named to last year’s All-Rookie Team for the conference and posted an impressive six 20-plus point games during his freshman campaign. George Washington’s strengths come on the boards, both offensive and defensive, where they ranked No. 38 in the nation last year. But the Colonials will have to get contributions from juniors Tony Taylor and Aaron Ware if they look to improve on their ninth place ranking from last season.
10. Massachusetts Despite losing top-scorer Ricky Harris to graduation, the Minutemen are an experienced and invested squad. “When the game’s on the line, they’re just not just going to give in and cave in because they’re invested in their own team and in themselves,” UMass head coach Derek Kellogg said. Kellogg, who enters his third year as head coach, knows that experience isn’t enough to win championships. With an invested squad that’s gaining experience, Kellogg can start to focus on other aspects of the game. “The guys are doing a good job of bringing energy everyday. Now, it’s about coaching and figuring out ways to win basketball games,” Kellogg said. Kellogg cited rebounding and defense as two examples of where UMass’ game needs to improve. “We need to get better defensively. We can’t not be in the top three or four in our league in field-goal percentage defense; we have to rebound the ball better.”
11. Saint Joseph’s The Hawks of Saint Joseph’s know they have a young team. But it’s a young team with lots of possibilities, even for this season. Two freshmen were named to the Conference All-Rookie Team: 6’9” forward C.J. Aiken and 6’2” guard Langston Galloway. But Aiken and Galloway’s inexperience will likely be countered by senior leadership, particularly from co-captains Idris Hilliard and Charoy Bentley. Hilliard, a 6’7” forward, is the team’s leading returning scorer, averaging 10.2 points per game last season. Bently, a 5’11” guard, has been the Hawks’ main sixth-man for three seasons. Saint Joseph’s non-conference schedule opens against Western Kentucky and includes an early December match against No. 6 Villanova. The Hawks will also take on Minnesota, Penn State and Creighton during the season. Head coach Phil Martelli has been at St. Joe’s for 16 seasons and has accumulated a 289-187 career record.
12. LaSalle For the LaSalle Explorers, this will likely be a season of major improvement. Though the squad finished with a 4-12 conference record last season, expect the Explorers to work their way up the Atlantic 10 standings this year. Sophomore Aaric Murray, a 6’10” center who lead the team with 70 blocks, was named Third Team All-Conference and will be joined by returning seniors Ruben Guillandeaux and Jerrell Williams. Guillandeaux missed 26 games last year due to injury, but is healthy and ready to lead the squad in 2010-2011. LaSalle’s nonconference schedule includes a trip to Texas to take on No. 14 Baylor and a mid-December home game against No. 6 Villanova. Perhaps toughest for LaSalle was their draw of A-10 schedule, where they will have to face No. 22 Temple twice. With an increased strength of schedule and increased personnel, the Explorers look to return to the A-10 Tournament.
13. St. Bonaventure For the St. Bonaventure Bonnies, the team’s success will likely revolve around just one player – center Andrew Nicholson, a First Team Preseason All-Conference and All-Defensive team selection. After averaging 16.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game last season, the Canada native is without the help of forward Jonathan Hall due to graduation. Shoring up Nicholson in the starting lineup will be guards Ogo Adegboye and Michael Davenport. Adegboye played for Great Britian in the U10 World Championship tournament this summer. An even bigger question mark for the team is a lack of a solid presence at the forward position. While Nicholson will see some playing time as a forward, the group of redshirt junior Da’Quan Cook, sophomore Brett Roseboro and redshirt sophomore Marquise Simmons showed little signs of promise last season. One of the three will have to step up, but it is expected that Cook will start when the season begins.
14. Fordham The Fordham Rams suffered through one of the worst seasons in Atlantic 10 history last year, losing all 16 conference games. The team earned only two wins on the season, but looks to be in good position to add to their attack this season. Fordham does play a few challenging non-conference games, which will give the Rams a chance to prepare for the A-10 schedule. Fordham visits Georgia Tech in late December, hosts St. John’s earlier that month, and visits Lehigh in late November. The team will rely heavily on the play of sophomore forward Chris Gaston, who average 18 points per game. Gaston set a school record by scoring 504 points last season, the most of any freshman in Fordham’s history. He also grabbed 314 rebounds, the second most from a Fordham freshman. Gaston was the Rams only selection for preseason honors, as he was named Second Team All-Conference.
10
unewsonline.com
Player Profiles
23
Kyle Cassity
By TYLER VACHIO Staff Writer
14
Very few college basketball players have the luxury of playing in front of their parents. Junior guard Kyle Cassity is one of the lucky ones. The Cassity family lives in Tamaroa, Illinois, a small 800-person town located about 90 minutes away from Chaifetz Arena. Cassity’s mom, dad and grandma do the best they can to attend every Billiken home basketball game to support him. Having family attend games was one of the many reasons that Cassity chose to come to Saint Louis University. He was also considering scholarship offers from Evansville, Southern Illinois, Michigan and University of Missouri-Kansas City. Being close to home was a key factor for Cassity and his family; ultimately, head coach Rick Majerus was the deciding factor. Like most of his teammates, Cassity is a student at the John Cook School of Business. He has a concentration in Marketing. He said that he liked what the marketing department had to offer
Brian Conklin
By TYLER VACHIO Staff Writer
This season, the Saint Louis University Billiken basketball team will take a trip to Portland, Oregon. The Billikens will face off against the dangerous Portland Pilots, as part of a homecoming for junior forward, Brian Conklin. Conklin is one of many basketball players not from the St. Louis area; he is originally from Eugene, Oregon, which is two hours south of Portland. Along with being a proud Billiken athlete, Conklin is also very proud of his Oregon Ducks football team. Back home, Conklin has two younger siblings: brother Justin and sister Carolyn. He was two-time All-State first team selection at North Eugene High School and averaged 20.4 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks a game as a senior. His junior year, Conklin lead his team to an undefeated 28-0 record and a 5A Oregon State Championship. After his highly decorated junior season in high school, Conklin committed to SLU. He was a very early recruit for the
Billikens. He knew that SLU was the right fit for him because of the solid recruiting class and the academic programs offered. Conklin is a student at the John Cook School of Business with a concentration in finance. “I always liked finance…dealing with money and stocks had always been something that I have wanted to do. One day, I would love to work for an NBA franchise in the finance department,” Conklin said. At 6-foot-6-inches and 230 pounds, Conklin is a force to be reckoned with in the paint. He knows that he will have to use his body to become a better overall rebounder. Conklin said, “With Willie [Reed] gone, I am going to have to fill the void in the rebounding department. I want to lead to the team in rebounds and become more selfish on the offensive glass.” His freshman year, Conklin started 29 of 32 games for the Billikens. He averaged a .522 shooting percentage on the season, ranking him seventh on the all-time freshman list. During the second exhibition game last season, Conklin hurt his ankle
and was never able to come back 100%. This decrease in playing time forced Conklin to regain all of his lower body strength and quickness. Conklin expects to return this season fully healed, with a new motivation. Conklin said Majerus would describe him as a “great screener and the emotional leader on and off the court.” The “Oregon Enforcer” will have to bring that emotional and physical presence to the court for the Billikens this season. Conklin will continue to work on his jump shot during the season, which he said is one of the weaker parts of his game. When asked about fellow Billiken forward Cory Remekun: “He has changed by leaps and bounds since last season: his physical appearance, his athletic ability, even his cool new haircut.” Conklin also talked a little bit about his roommate and Billiken guard, Kyle Cassity. “This season, we need him to step up as a scorer, and I am looking forward to seeing him score more points for us this year. Kyle is a great roommate, but he doesn’t like to do the dishes.”
after taking his Introduction to Marketing class. On the court, Cassity has a number of personal goals for this season, one of which is to lead the team with his presence on the court. But most of all, he wants to win. The Billikens begin their 2010-2011 season on Nov. 12 against Austin Peay. “I want to play every game as hard as I can. Being more assertive on the offensive end is something that I definitely need to do more,” Cassity said. The transition for Cassity from freshman to sophomore year was a quick one. He went from starting four games his freshman year to playing a team high 1,166 minutes last year. Cassity credits this transformation to upperclassmen leaders. Moving forward to his junior year, Cassity looks to continue his success, passing to his teammates and collecting more assists. Last year, he led the team with 117 assist and will look to break that record this season. Cassity said Majerus would describe him as “a reluctant star, the guy on the team that does not like to be noticed on the court.”
The junior guard knows that this is his year to step up as a leader on and off the court and to continue to improve on the offensive side of the ball. Scoring from beyond the arch has never been a problem for Cassity. Last season he ranked second on the team with 41 three-pointers. The past two years, Cassity has been roommates with Billiken forward Brian Conklin. “Brian and I have been through everything together as roommates. On the court, he does the little stuff for us that isn’t recorded in the books. He sets tough screens and is a great defender.” Cassity also talked about sophomore forward, Cory Remekun. “Cory has changed physically since last season. He is much more physical in the paint now. He is a little banged up right now; he is playing through an injury but will come back strong for us.” When asked where he sees himself in five years after graduation, Cassity said, “My dream job would be working here in St. Louis for the St. Louis Cardinals, and hopefully [settling] down.”
unewsonline.com
Player Profiles
32 Cory Remekun By TYLER VACHIO Staff Writer
Sophomore for ward Cor y Remekun is a perfect example of the saying, “Everything is Bigger in Texas.” The Texas native stands 80 inches from the ground and is the second tallest Billiken basketball player on the roster. On top of being one of the tallest players on the team, he is also one of the youngest; Cory will not turn 19 until this July. Remekun is originally from Dallas, Texas; he attended Mesquite High School, where he was named the 11-5A District Defensive Player of the Year. He has one younger sister, Miranda, who is in 9th grade this year. After his senior season at Mesquite, Remekun received offers to play college basketball at Western Kentucky, Penn State and Tulane. Ultimately, he noticed the fantastic recruiting class that Saint Louis University and head coach Rick Majerus had assembled already and officially decided to become a Billiken.
At SLU, Remekun is interested in the John Cook School of Business’ new Sports Management Program. “In five years, I hope to be making money by playing basketball somewhere,” Remekun said. With the loss of Willie Reed, Remekun has to become the primary rebounder for the team this year. Reed was the team’s primar y center last season, which will most likely become Remekun’s new role position. “I just want to help my team win the best I can, whether that is playing the 5 spot or not,” Remekun said. Last season, Remekun appeared in all 36 games for the Billikens. Although he came off the bench, he made his presence known on the defensive side of the ball. He blocked 32 shots in his 36 games. Remekun will have to continue that dominance down low for the Billikens, whose frontcourt is thin. “I do like playing defense, but I would definitely say the best part of my game is my jump
11
hooks and dunks,” Remekun said. Remekun can score on the offensive side of the ball; he proved that during the Billikens’ final home game of the season against Virginia Commonwealth. He was 6-of-9 shooting from the field, scoring 13 points and hauling in seven rebounds, including six on the offensive end. Remekun will look to have consistent games like this during his sophomore season. Remekun said Majerus would describe him as “really young, and a good, smart kid.” This season, Remekun will continue to improve his shooting outside of 15 feet, which he said, is the weakest part of his game. The future looks bright for this young kid from Texas. With a couple more seasons under Majerus, Cory Remekun could develop into a star basketball player. And when asked about the rest of the Billikens, Remekun said, “They are like brothers to me. I love my teammates.”
Students vote on new name for spirit section By NEIL DuROSS Staff Writer
Beginning this basketball season at Chaifetz Arena, feel free to go on, students, and just go ahead and shake your tail feather. All students who wish to cheer on their Billikens will leave behind their normal personas and take on the Nelly inspired “SLU-pun” SLUnatics title after a campuswide election was held in an effort to rename the student cheering section, formerly known as Blue Crew. The new name of the student section for basketball games won by a high percentage over the other 20 candidates suggested. Other names submitted onto the ballot by students included Billiken Brigade, SLUmania and SLUpertroopers. SLUnatics, a mixture of the SLU and the word for describing somebody who is insane, comes to signify a change in tone for the student section at Chaifetz. “It adds personality and spunk to what it means to support the Billikens,” group president, senior Mike Putnam, said. Putnam is in charge of relaying the student section’s wants to the Athletic Department. “Blue Crew served us well, but we have done so much better with SLUnatics. No other school or organization has it.” That originality is what fans hope will add to the experience of attending basketball games.
“I think the history of student apathy toward athletics is starting to turn in a big way,” Billiken fan, junior Zac Miller, said. “Many more groups of people are taking initiative and adding their personal touch to the student section.” Miller feels some sentimentality about the re-branding, but believes it is for the best. “I grew up knowing the student section as Blue Crew, and it is a little weird seeing it go. But it’s time, with basketball enthusiasm at an all-time high,” Miller said. The new name is intended to capitalize on this enthusiasm, an enthusiasm that was palpable last year in the form of section antics, crowd noise and hijinks. “Anyone who came to a game last year saw how excited and electric the student section gets,” Putnam said. “SLUnatics is creative, fun, and most importantly, a little bit crazy---when you have a Chewbacca and ‘the Situation’ a la ‘Jersey Shore’ in the stands, you know we take our spirit seriously.” The SLU student section last year was applauded by a multitude of opposing coaches and players, including Dayton’s Brian Gregory and Temple’s Juan Hernandez. Media outlets even ranked Chaifetz Arena as one of the toughest places to play. Regularly-attending basketball fans hope this new name also clears up confusion in the student section between those
who viewed themselves as members of the student section, but not members of Blue Crew. “I think SLUnatics will help if it is made clear to the students that this is not a student club or an exclusive group in any way,” Miller said. “It needs to be obvious that this is renaming the student section and basically retiring the idea of a ‘student fan group.’” Putnam hopes that the new name will increase student involvement. “Because students decided the name, they will feel more invested in the program,” Putnam said. “Anyone who comes to the games to cheer on the team is a member of the SLUnatics.” When asked why students should attend basketball games, Putnam said that the student section is about “being a part of something larger than yourself.
“It’s part of the SLU experience, and if you’re not very interested in the game, there’s always the chance you can be on the Kiss Cam.”
12
#51
Player Profiles
Rob Loe
#21
unewsonline.com
Dwayne Evans Evans has already made his presence felt for the Billikens. He led the team with 12 point and 14 rebounds Saturday, Nov. 6, in an exhibition against Nova Southeastern. The 6’5” swingman and native of Bolingbrook, Ill., attended Neuqua Valley High School. Evans was a Renaissance man on the court his senior year, averaging 17 points, 12 rebounds and three assists per game, along with 73 blocks and 61 steals on the season. His performance in SLU’s two exhibition games has undoubtedly earned him the opportunity to compete for a starting spot. In high school, he was just as productive off the court, earning a spot on the honor roll every semester. Evan’s height and athletic ability should make him a valuable player on both ends of the floor for the Bills.
Loe arrived on campus as the prize of the 2010 recruiting class. He is the tallest player on the Billiken’s roster at 6’11”, but what will make him particularly hard to defend is his shooting range. The forward can stroke it from well beyond the 3-point line. He showed this ability by hitting three-pointers in both exhibition games. This will create matchup problems for opposing teams and headaches for coaches. Loe joins Cody Ellis and Christian Salecich as members of the basketball team who hail from the southern hemisphere. Loe was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and has playing experience against international competition. The sky is the limit for a player with Loe’s skill set, and it will be interesting to see how his game continues to develop at SLU.
Putting the Pieces Together Freshmen Build a Young Program
#11
Mike McCall
McCall attended Foreman High School in Chicago, Ill., where he competed in the highly competitive Chicago Public Basketball League. He averaged 18 points and dished out five assists per game in his senior campaign, and guided his team to a 26-4 record. His shooting stroke can catch fire, as evidenced by a seven 3-pointer effort his junior season. McCall will not be a liability from the free-throw line; he shot a steady 79 percent from the charity stripe last year. Judging by his body of work in high school, he should have a very solid future in the SLU basketball program. With his potential for a hot hand, consistent free-throw shooting and high basketball IQ, expect McCall’s name to be a staple over the PA system at Chaifetz for the next four years.
#5
Jordair Jett The 6’1” guard out of Minneapolis, Minn., is a versatile and physical addition to the Billiken backcourt. Expect the 210lb. Jett to compete for a starting guard position throughout the season. His versatility was on display in a game his senior year, when he registered a quadruple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds, 11assists and 10 steals. Jett poured in over 1,000 points over his career at St. Bernard’s High School and led his senior squad to a birth in the Minnesota 2A state championship game. Following his senior year of high school, he played a season at Notre Dame Prep in Finchburg, Mass., former team of the NBA’s No. 1 overall pick in 2008, Michael Beasley. Jett is a player who could have a major impact at SLU in his time wearing the blue and white.
unewsonline.com
Assistant Coaches
The Supporting Cast By PAUL ESKER Staff Writer
Assistant coaches can make or break a program. Assistant coaches working in harmony with a head coach can lead to a strong program, but discord within a coaching staff can lead to the demise of a team. Assistant coaches are also responsible for balancing a plethora of roles on a team. They must know the ins and outs of a head coach’s system. They must also know the head coach and be able to know what he wants. They must be similar enough to a head coach to buy into his philosophy, but must also be different enough from the head coach to give diverse opinions and keep a team from becoming one-dimensional. And lastly, assistant coaches must also be able to relate to players. It is this dynamic that the assistant coaches at Saint Louis University, through their dedication and knowledge of the game, hope to use to take the team to new heights. Heading up the assistant coaching staff is Associate Head Coach Porter Moser, who is in his fourth season with the Billikens. Prior to coming to SLU, Moser spent time as an assistant at Creighton - his alma mater, Texas A&M, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of Arkansas-Little Rock (UALR), and as the head coach at UALR and Illinois State. Moser was brought to SLU as an assistant coach and was promot-
ed to associate head coach prior to the season of 2008-09. Moser is the first associate head coach that head coach Rick Majerus has ever had, and thus has a very unique role on the team. “Coach Moser is not so much an associate head coach as he is a co-coach. Coach [Majerus] respects Coach Moser’s authority more than any other assistant coach he’s ever had,” team captain Paul Eckerle said. Not only is Moser deeply respected and valued by Majerus, but he is also greatly praised by players for all that he does for the Billiken squad. “He has to go between being an assistant coach and a head coach, which is really hard to do because he has the power position of being the head coach, which is really enforcing rules, get on us when we’re doing bad,” Christian Salecich said. “But he also has the role of the Assistant Coach, which is to keep us positive and keep us moving in the right direction, so he really does an amazing job.” Moser is also praised for the opportunities that he gives the team during practice. “When Coach Majerus really wants to focus on the defense or rebounding, Coach Moser’s always there on offense; he’s always got the offensive scheme going. He’s always excited, bringing the energy; he’s ready to go all the time,” junior Brian Conklin said. This energy that Moser brings to the team is one that is recognized as being vital to the
13
Majerus calls on former player, veteran coaches to guide staff success of the team. “He’s just so passionate,” Eckerle said, who also spoke of the respect that the players have for Moser because of his commitment to the team and the players. “He’s so dedicated to making us better as players and also making us better as people off the court. Everyone respects what he has to say because he’s a really knowledgeable coach, and he really has earned everyone’s respect through integrity and his dedication to the team.” Moser is quick to send praise right back to the Billiken program. “I had an opportunity to be a head coach this past year, but I’m just so invested right here in St. Louis with the guys we’re recruiting and where we’re going and the fans and the students; I mean I love walking out of that tunnel to see the student sections packed. This is what you want out of a program,” Moser said. Another assistant coach who has had a unique impact in recent years is Chris Harriman. This will be Harriman’s third season at SLU. Before coming to SLU, Harriman spent four years as an assistant coach at Nova Southeastern University. Harriman, who hails from Sydney, Australia, has impacted the team in many ways, especially through his recruiting ties. His connections in Australia have drawn top Australian players Cody Ellis and Christian Salecich, along with New Zealand’s Rob Loe, to SLU. “I grew up watching [Harriman] play in the pro league in Australia … I knew him from watching him, never really as a coach, but the year before I got over here, he started recruiting me. We started talking, and he was a really down to earth guy,” Salecich said. Salecich also paid tribute to Harriman for his help in easing the transition to America. “From Australia, where it’s a completely different style of game, to over here… [Coach Harriman] did a lot of work with me, telling me things I needed to work on, so when I came in I was ready to go.”
The final assistant coach on the Billiken squad is Alex Jensen. This is Jensen’s fourth year at SLU and his third as an assistant coach. Jensen played under Majerus at Utah in 199495 and then from 1997-2000. He also played seven seasons of professional ball in Turkey. Jensen, through his experience playing for Coach Majerus, brings special insight to the team and is a major resource for players. “[Jensen] is a former player; he’s like a son to [Majerus]. He knows Majerus’ system inside and out. He’s a great teacher of the game,” Moser said. The value of Jensen’s insight into the mind of Majerus was echoed by nearly all of the players. “Al’s been a great mentor. He’s always someone you can go to. He knows the game almost as well as Coach [Majerus]; he also knows Coach [Majerus], which
is also very helpful,” Eckerle said. “He played under Coach Majerus earlier in his years. He knows what Coach wants out of his players; he knows what to listen to, when Coach yells at you, and what to kind of filter out,” Conklin said, who, in addition to Eckerle, also identifies Jensen as a mentor both on and off the court. “Al’s just been a great sounding board. He gives you the little nuances of the game that he’s picked up through his many years.” No matter their role, all of the assistant coaches are, without a doubt, critical parts of the Billiken men’s basketball program. Whether they are running practice, mentoring players or doing the simple things that need to be done on the team, they dedicate themselves to the Billiken program and have been central to its success.
14
unewsonline.com
Billiken Basketball
Exhibition play shows Billikens’ strengths SLU 73 - Cardinal Stritch 53 By DERRICK NEUNER Associate Sports Editor
Brian Conklin bulldozed his way underneath the net for a perfect 8-8 as the Billikens routed the Cardinal-Stritch Wolves 73-53 in the first exhibition game of the year. Though the NAIA Wolves did not provide much competition for the Billikens, the game gave head coach Rick Majerus a chance to experiment with his young team. At one point during the second half, SLU was about as young as you can be with four freshman and a lone sophomore, Cody Ellis, on the floor. Using what Majerus refers to as a “bastardized” line-up, the Billikens started juniors Paul Eckerle, Kyle Cassity, Brian Conklin, sophomore Christian Salecich and freshman Dwayne Evans. That decision, according to Majerus, was based on which players were most conditioned, not which were most athletic. Every player saw the floor for at least 14 minutes. Regardless of youth, it was the elders on the team that put up the points. Conklin put in 17, and Cassity added an additional 11, despite playing just 15 minutes. Freshman Rob Loe knocked in 10 for the Billikens. SLU shot 60 percent from the field despite shooting just 7-23 from 3-point range.
“Obviously we didn’t play great, but it’s our first time together, our first time against somebody else other than people we see every day,” Cassity said. “It was good to get those guys out there and get some experience. We’re going to learn from it.” The most attention went to the freshman. Evans, the only freshman starter, finished with eight points, seven rebounds and three assists. Jordair Jett had eight points and four rebounds, and Mike McCall had five points. Either McCall or Jett will be running the offense. McCall spent the most time there, but one game is not a predictor for the season. “Their attitude is excellent,” Majerus said, “but like all freshmen, they don’t know how to play consistent yet … I think they’re trying. They’re going through the same situation as every other group of freshmen. “They’re good players, but they’re young and inexperienced. They’re going to get better.” Whatever happens during exhibition play, the Billikens are going to have to get better quickly. In just three weeks, SLU takes on SEC contender Georgia before heading to Cameron Indoor to take on the defending national champion and preseason No.1 Duke Blue Devils.
SLU 78 - Nova Southeastern 62 By CHRIS ACKELS Sports Editor
Freshman Dwayne Evans scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Billikens past Nova Southeastern by a score of 78-62 in the Bills second exhibition game. The Bills freshmen put forth another superb effort, with Jordair Jett shooting 6-for-7 from the floor and matching Evans with a team-high 12 points. Freshman Rob Loe chipped in with nine points. Despite his 6’11” frame, Loe has shown his ability to stretch defenses and shoot from long range. Brian Conklin had another strong night for the Bills, netting 11 points and grabbing four rebounds. Conklin lead the team in scoring over the course of the two exhibition games, averaging 14 PPG. Cody Ellis contributed with nine points against the Sharks, all coming off 3-pointers. Kyle Cassity, who had 11 points against Cardinal Stritch, was all about the pass. Though he only netted three points himself (and only took four shots), Cassity lead the squad with six assists. The game started closer than Saint Louis University expected, as Nova jumped out to an early 10-4 lead, but a Christian Salecich three-pointer from the
left corner ignited an 11-0 run to give the Billikens a 15-10 advantage. SLU would never look back from there. The Billikens took notice of their size advantage over the Sharks and expanded their lead in the first half by working the ball into the paint. Loe and Corey Remekun did most of the work down low, with Remekun netting six points. SLU led at the half 39-31. However, Nova Southeastern would not simply fade under the Chaifetz Arena lights. Sophomore Alex Gynes kept
the Sharks in the game during the second frame, at one point cutting the SLU lead to just three. Due to a slow start to the second half, the Billikens found themselves with a slim 49-46 lead. Thanks to the play of Evans and Conklin and a huge 3-pointer from Cassity, SLU jumped back out to a 58-48 advantage. The Bills continued the strong play in the second half, closing out with a 16-point victory. The game wrapped up exhibition play for Saint Louis. The regular season opens up Nov. 12 against Austin Peay.
unewsonline.com
15
2010-2011 Men’s Basketball Schedule
Schedule
DATE
OPPONENT
LOCATION
Friday, November 12* Monday, November 15 Saturday, November 20* Tuesday, November 23 Saturday, November 27* Tuesday, November 30
Austin Peay State Rockhurst Georgia Tennessee State IUPUI at Portland
Chaifetz Arena Chaifetz Arena Chaifetz Arena Chaifetz Arena Chaifetz Arena Chiles Center
Saturday, December 11* Wednesday, December 15 Saturday, December 18
at Duke Jacksonville at Missouri State
Cameron Indoor Chaifetz Arena JQH Arena Cancun, Mexico Cancun, Mexico
Friday, December 24
Northeastern Southern Mississippi or E. Tennessee State TBA
Saturday, January 1 Wednesday, January 5* Sunday, January 9 Wednesday, January 12 Saturday, January 15 * Wednesday, January 19 Wednesday, January 26* Saturday, January 29*
Bowling Green Dayton at Temple at Duquesne Saint Joseph’s at Fordham Rhode Island at George Washington
Chaifetz Arena Chaifetz Arena Liacouras Center A.J. Palumbo Center Chaifetz Arena Izod Center Chaifetz Arena Charles Smith Center
Wednesday, February 2 Saturday, February 5 Wednesday, February 9* Saturday, February 12* Wednesday, February 16 Saturday, February 19* Tuesday, February 22 Saturday, February 26
Massachusetts at Xavier La Salle at Richmond at St. Bonaventure Charlotte Duquesne Chicago State
Chaifetz Arena Cintas Center Chaifetz Arena Robins Center Reilly Center Chaifetz Arena Chaifetz Arena Chaifetz Arena
at Dayton Xavier
UD Arena Chaifetz Arena
Governor’s Cup Wednesday, December 22 Thursday, December 23
Wednesday, March 2 Saturday, March 5*
Cancun, Mexico
*- Televised Games
®
2010-2011 Men’s Basketball Home Game Schedule
DATE
OPPONENT
Friday, November 12* Monday, November 15 Saturday, November 20* Tuesday, November 23 Saturday, November 27* Wednesday, December 15 Saturday, January 1 Wednesday, January 5* Saturday, January 15 Wednesday January 26* Wednesday, February 2 Wednesday, February 9* Saturday February 19* Tuesday, February 22 Saturday, February 26 Saturday, March 5
Austin Peay State Rockhurst Georgia Tennessee State IUPUI Jacksonville Bowling Green Dayton Saint Joseph’s Rhode Island Massachusetts La Salle Charlotte Duquesne Chicago State Xavier