The first big win (Nov. 20)
By halftime of the third game of the season, it was clear this year was something special for Billiken basketball. SLU had a 50-25 lead at the half over Washington.
It was a coming out party for the SLU defense, and the first time fans got a glimpse of what this team is all about.
Four days in Anaheim (Nov. 24-27)
No matter who they are against, three games in four days can be tiring. And no matter who they are, when the schedule includes games against Boston College, Villanova, and Oklahoma, SLU established themselves as a team to beat nationally. They walked out of the 76 Classic at 6-0, and national-ranked for the first time in 18 years.
And one day in L.A. (Nov. 29)
They had been ranked for just over 24 hours when the Billikens tipped off against Loyola-Marymount, on the schedule before the west coast road trip.
But LMU jumped out to an early lead and never gave it up. This game reminded the Billikens to keep their feet on the ground – we’re mortal, and every opponent deserves respect. It also dropped them out of the rankings for good.
Back-to-back heartbreakers (Dec. 31 and Jan. 4)
After a 12-1 start, SLU headed to New Mexico. It would also be the first of two heartbreakers, as SLU wasn’t able to get shots to drop in the final minute and fell to the Lobos 64-60. Four days later at Dayton, they let a lead slip away late and fell to the Flyers in overtime.
The Philly road trip (Feb. 8-11)
Sandwiched between games with Dayton and Xavier, the casual Billiken fan likely overlooked these two days in Philadelphia, when the Bills not only catapulted themselves to the top of the A-10, but played some of their best basketball all season. Head Coach Rick Majerus still says that the St. Joseph’s game on Feb. 8 was the team’s best defensive effort all season. He also specifically cited the win at LaSalle on Feb. 11 as a huge turning point for this team.
This is our house (Feb. 28)
After beating Xavier at the Cintas Center, the first time a team had done so in five years, Xavier came to town on Senior Night in February. The sell-out crowd was loud as ever as the Billikens exploded for quite possibly their best half of basketball all season.
After trailing by ten at the half, SLU went on a 24-3 run that nearly took the roof off the Arena, and ended up winning the game 70-59. The game – and the post-game ceremony honoring seniors Brian Conklin and Kyle Cassity – was partly a celebration for the great season, and partly a send-off for the games ahead.
Taming the Tigers (March 16)
After earning a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament, SLU’s first round game against Memphis was a chance to really show their guns. After a solid defensive first half, the Billikens found themselves down eight with 10 minutes to play.
At that point, a Mike McCall three pointer ignited a 23-7 run, one that included eight straight free throws from Conklin, who was 10-for-11 from the charity stripe during the game. The first-round win in front of a national TV audience did more for this program than any other game this season. It was the signature win of the year.
Showing the World (March 18)
In front of a nationally televised audience – quite possibly the largest TV crowd in SLU history – the Billikens brought No. 1 seed Michigan State down to the wire.
Had SLU shot better than 23.8% in the first half, or had Michigan State shot worse than their 61.9% in the second frame, it would’ve been a completely different outcome. But against a team unlike any team they had played before, the Billikens showed they belonged on the floor. And most of all, they showed they belong on the national basketball stage.
