The men’s and women’s basketball teams kicked off their first practices of the 1999-2000 season last Saturday at Bauman-Eberhardt Athletic Center.

First-year men’s coach Lorenzo Romar and his new staff got his team rolling early on Saturday with an 8 a.m. practice. The Bills also had a practice at 6 p.m. Women’s coach Jill Pizzotti also her team going on Saturday, which was the first day that college basketball squads could hold full team practices.

“I couldn’t wait for the first practice,” Romar said. “I can’t wait for tomorrow’s practice.”

Pizzotti added, “The players are working hard. They’re excited to get on the floor and get moving.”

The men’s team will have a different look this season, not only in its coaching staff but in its style of play as well. Romar replaces the retired Charlie Spoonhour, who had led SLU to three NCAA Tournament appearances in seven years. Romar came from Pepperdine University, where he guided the Waves to a 42-44 record over three years. Romar wants to play a more up-tempo style of ball than Spoonhour did, but he wants to maintain the same aggressive man-to-man defense of Spoonhour.

“These guys were well-coached, and they pick things up quickly,” Romar said. “Hopefully, we can have the same results as they had in the past.”

After posting the first winning season in 13 years with a 16-12 record, Pizzotti has a tough task ahead of her this season. The fifth-year coach has seven true freshmen and one red-shirt freshman on her roster.

“We’re more athletic than in the past,” Pizzotti said. “We have more height on the perimeter.”

Pizzotti thinks the practices have been going well so far.

“We’re implementing a good man-to-man defense and working on our motion offense,” Pizzotti said. “(The players) have shown great intensity.”

The men’s team will play its first exhibition game on Monday, Nov. 1 versus the Southern Cal All-Stars, at 7:05 p.m. at the Kiel Center. The women’s team plays its first exhibition against a local outfit named Gold Star. The game is Friday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. at Bauman-Eberhardt Athletic Center.