The big gamble has paid off for Saint Louis University. Rick Majerus has resurrected basketball in Midtown. Boy, that was fast.

In the last few months, the head coach of the Billikens showed why he is revered throughout the United States as one of the best teachers of the game. Majerus – who completed year three of five in the Reconstruction Era – has put SLU in position to make its first NCAA appearance in over a decade, in a year when the Bills were anticipated to be fodder for Dayton and Xavier in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

“We had a great year. We didn’t have a good year, we had a great year,” Majerus said in a year-end press conference. “I’m not just saying that, because I’ve had good years. For a team of freshmen and sophomores, and one of your guys doesn’t join you until January, for that team to finish a conclusive fourth in the A-10 and play so well, I thought it was a terrific year for the guys.”

That sounds about right. Without the athleticism of a John Wall or the size of a Brian Zoubek, Majerus coached the “Billikids” to a 23-13 record in a league that, at several times during the season, had a RPI that bested almost every BCS conference in America. The Billikens also never played a single game with the entire roster eligible. If SLU can perform this well at a sub-par level, just imagine what a fully-loaded, fully-active Billikens squad can accomplish.

Now, let me be clear, this season had its faults.

I understand that the transition from high school to Division 1 basketball can be brutal, but there were few excuses for the, at times, abysmal shooting displayed by the Bills. Did you watch the NCAA tournament? The great teams hit their open shots. It’s fundamental to the game. I could spend hours recounting the missed open shots. Shot selection wasn’t necessarily a problem, but at times I wondered if Kyle Cassity thought passes counted for points. Cassity is a phenomenal shooter, and he knows that he has to take more shots. Let’s hope he does.

Also, as a request from me, can the team practice free-throw shooting? Nothing makes me more anxious than seeing our guys step to the line. Missed shots from the line were a big detriment to this team in several of our big losses. Last year, I gave them a pass. They will get no such luck in the 2010-11 season. Thanks, guys.

The team also has to be in much better physical shape. Fatigue plagued this team like the locusts did Ramses II. One great benefit of participating in the CBI this year was that the team was able to experience the physical pressures of playing deep into March. If Cody Ellis or Willie Reed want to play in the Final Four next year, they will need to show a true commitment to being physically ready to dominate from Halloween to Easter. Fitness is essential to SLU’s post-season success.

But enough about the negatives. This season panned out to be the tipping point for the Billikens. The learning curve came early to the great benefit of Majerus and his staff. Cassity told me recently that Majerus’ defensive system is difficult to learn. Naturally, the guys are going to take a while to learn it and develop underneath it. But, Cassity added, “once you do, it’s a good system to be in.”

I don’t pretend to know much about the way Majerus expects his athletes to play ball. At times, I bet the players aren’t even sure.

But I do know this; the Billikens are a dominant defensive force and will continue to be next year, and the year after, and the year after. It’s the most dependable aspect of their game. If the Billikens can avoid the annual second half drought, and cut down on the mental mistakes, that there won’t be many teams SLU can’t stand up against.

SLU will have its entire roster back in 2010-11, except for Jeff Reid who transferred due to lingering effects of his concussion, and none will be seniors. This means prolonged success and a chance for the team to fully develop together.

Kwamain Mitchell averaged 15.9 points, and could be the best point guard in Missouri. Though he struggled with consistency, Reed showed flashes of brilliance under the basket, 12.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots and led the A-10 in shooting percentage at 58.7. Ellis will have a full year to participate in the fun.

The bench is also much, much deeper. Brian Conklin settled nicely into his role off the bench, and the Billikens will look for added relief from Justin Jordan, Jon Smith and Cory Remekun. It became apparent to me that SLU was at a disadvantage because of lack of depth; they consistently were outscored from the bench. Look for that to change.

Not to be overlooked, next year only three players will be new to the system. Majerus signed Mike McCall and Dwayne Evans out of Chicago and got a verbal commitment from 7-footer Rob Loe last week. The reinforcements are arriving in May.

If you don’t believe that SLU is well on its way to national prominence, consider this: ESPN Senior Basketball Analyst Andy Katz already has the Billikens tagged as one of his three sleeper teams to break into the top-25 before the 2010-11 season even tips off.