On Nov. 20, the Billikens played host to the University of Washington Huskies in their third basketball game of the season at Chaifetz Arena. SLU ended up winning the game 77-64 after a red-hot first half from Brian Conklin, building an insurmountable 25-point lead at the half.
But the game meant more than just a big win over a big conference opponent. For Washington Head Coach Lorenzo Romar, it was a homecoming. Romar spent three seasons as head coach at SLU, from 1999-2002. His first season, the 1999-2000 campaign, the Billikens won the Conference USA title and made a trip to the NCAA Tournament. That was the last time SLU has won a conference title or played in March Madness.
“It’s exciting to get to go back,” Romar said in a press conference days before the game. He scheduled the matchup to allow Scott Suggs, a senior at Washington from the St. Louis area, to return to his hometown and play in front of his family.
Ironically, Suggs is from Washington, Mo., and attended Washington High School. He now plays 1,600 miles away at the university that bears the same name. Slightly less ironic is the fact that Suggs was injured early this season and was not able to play in the game at Chaifetz.
And despite living a life worthy of an Alanis Morissette song, Suggs is one of the most feared 3-point shooters in the Pac-12. But the homecoming was still sweet for Romar. It gave him a chance to look back fondly on the memories he made during his three years at SLU.
“The people there in the Billiken community were very supportive of that team,” Romar said.
“It’s a fun sports town, and it was such a fun time to be a part of it.”
Romar came to SLU after spending three seasons as head coach at Pepperdine University in southern California. He said SLU’s athletic director at the time, Doug Willard, was a close friend and was “relentless” in convincing Romar to take the Billikens job.
During his three seasons at the helm, SLU posted a 51-44 record. His first season was the most successful, going 19-14 en route to a Conference USA title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. He said his decision to leave SLU was “one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do in my life.” He ultimately took the job at Washington, his alma matter, and has completely turned around their program during his nine years in Seattle.
He also knows that SLU’s program is on the rise. Before playing the Billikens, he said, “I don’t know if we will play a defensive team as good as them all year.”
“They really know what they are doing out there,” he said, “even this early in the season.”
Romar credits that to Head Coach Rick Majerus. And while he joked about Majerus’ state of the art facilities in comparison to his run down office at SLU ten years ago, he continuously complimented the coach of the Billikens.
“[Majerus] is the Einstein of basketball coaches. He’s brilliant. He understands every facet of the game, backwards and forwards,” Romar said. “He’s an unbelievable teacher. I just haven’t seen too many with as good of a basketball mind as Coach Majerus.”
And when he matched up against Majerus, things did not go his way. Romar’s Huskies fell short to the Billikens, registering their first loss of the season. Washington is now 4-1 and is projected to finish in the upper half of the Pac-12.
