The SLU Billikens went 29-6 and made the NCAA Tournament this past season. (Photo: Ellie Parker)
ST. LOUIS, MO — Nine players from Saint Louis University’s record-breaking men’s basketball team announced they will be back with the Billikens for the 2026-27 season in a video released by the SLU athletics department on Thursday.
All players on the current roster with eligibility remaining, except forwards Brady Dunlap and Kalu Anya — who have both entered the transfer portal — appeared in the video announcing their plan to return to Saint Louis.
The news isn’t much of a surprise. Many players had already indicated their plan to return, following SLU’s 29-6 season, which set a new school record for wins in a season.
The Billikens also won the Atlantic 10 Conference regular season championship, made the NCAA Tournament, and won their NCAA Tournament first round game, before losing to eventual national champion Michigan in the second round.
St. Louis native and standout underclassman Kellen Thames will be back with the SLU Billikens next season. (Photo: Ellie Parker)
Returning for next season are seniors-to-be Kellen Thames and Quentin Jones; future juniors Trey Green, Amari McCottry, and Ishan Sharma; emerging sophomores Cam Hutson and Jax Kerr; and redshirt freshmen Badara Diakite and Luke Laczkowski. SLU will also add incoming freshman point guard Jermel Thomas.
Seniors Robbie Avila, Dion Brown, and Paul Otieno won’t be back, as all three are out of eligibility.
“Our journey is just beginning,” Billiken head coach Josh Schertz said in the video voice-over. “Billiken time isn’t coming. Billiken time is now.”
Schertz, who signed a long-term contract extension with Saint Louis last month, has been on the recruiting trail most of this month and is expected to sign at least three new players from the transfer portal in the coming months.
2025-26 SLU BILLIKENS MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | TV | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 3, 2025 (Monday) | 7 pm | Home | SEMO | Chaifetz Arena |  | W, 92-67 (1-0) |
| November 6, 2025 (Thursday) | 7 pm | Home | Chicago State | Chaifetz Arena | | W, 108-86 (2-0) |
| November 10, 2025 (Monday) | 7 pm | Home | Lindenwood | Chaifetz Arena |  | W, 109-66 (3-0) |
| November 15, 2025 (Saturday) | 7 pm | Home | Grand Canyon | Chaifetz Arena |  | W, 78-64 (4-0) |
| November 21, 2025 (Friday) | 7 pm | Home | Purdue-Fort Wayne | Chaifetz Arena | | W, 91-60 (5-0) |
| November 27, 2025 (Thursday) | 6 pm | Neutral | Santa Clara | Palm Desert, Calif. |  | W, 71-70 (6-0) |
| November 28, 2025 (Friday) | TBA | Neutral | Minnesota or Stanford | Palm Desert, Calif. |  | L, 78-77 (6-1) |
| December 2, 2025 (Tuesday) | 9 pm | Away | Loyola Marymount | Los Angeles, Calif. | | W, 91-70 (7-1) |
| December 7, 2025 (Sunday) | 2 pm | Home | Central Michigan | Chaifetz Arena | | W, 107-65 (8-1) |
| December 13, 2025 (Saturday) | 7 pm | Home | San Francisco | Chaifetz Arena | | W, 85-75 (9-1) |
| December 17, 2025 (Wednesday) | 7 pm | Home | Bethune-Cookman | Chaifetz Arena | | W, 112-53 (10-1) |
| December 21, 2025 (Sunday) | 2 pm | Home | New Hampshire | Chaifetz Arena | | W, 93-79 (11-1)) |
| December 28, 2025 (Sunday) | 2 pm | Home | Principia | Chaifetz Arena | | W, 114-33 (12-1) |
| December 31, 2025 (Wednesday) | 3 pm | Home | Saint Joseph’s | Chaifetz Arena | | W, 102-79 (13-1) |
| January 7, 2026 (Wednesday) | 6 pm | Away | VCU | Richmond, Va. | | W, 71-62 (14-1) |
| January 10, 2026 (Saturday) | 3 pm | Away | La Salle | Philadelphia, Pa. |  | W, 84-72 (15-1) |
| January 14, 2026 (Wednesday) | 7 pm | Home | Fordham | Chaifetz Arena | | W, 78-56 (16-1) |
| January 17, 2026 (Saturday) | 3 pm | Home | Richmond | Chaifetz Arena | | W, 88-63 (17-1) |
| January 20, 2026 (Tuesday) | 6 pm | Away | Duquesne | Pittsburgh, Pa. | | W, 81-77 (18-1) |
| January 23, 2026 (Friday) | 4:30 pm | Away | St. Bonaventure | St. Bonaventure, N.Y. |  | W, 97-62 (19-1) |
| January 27, 2026 (Tuesday) | 7 pm | Home | George Washington | Chaifetz Arena | | W, 79-76 (20-1) |
| January 30, 2026 (Friday) | 7 pm | Home | Dayton | Chaifetz Arena | | W, 102-71 (21-1) |
| February 3, 2026 (Tuesday) | 8 pm | Away | Davidson | Davidson, N.C. | | W, 91-82 (22-1) |
| February 7, 2026 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Home | La Salle | Chaifetz Arena | | W, 82-58 (23-1) |
| February 13, 2026 (Friday) | 7:30 pm | Away | Loyola Chicago | Chicago, Ill. | | W, 86-59 (24-1) |
| February 17, 2026 (Tuesday) | 6 pm | Away | Rhode Island | Kingston, R.I. | | L, 81-76 (24-2) |
| February 20, 2026 (Friday) | 6 pm | Home | VCU | Chaifetz Arena | | W, 88-75 (25-2) |
| February 24, 2026 (Tuesday) | 6 pm | Away | Dayton | Dayton, Ohio | | L, 77-62 (25-3) |
| February 28, 2026 (Saturday) | 7 pm | Home | Duquesne | Chaifetz Arena | | W, 91-76 (26-3) |
| March 4, 2026 (Wednesday) | 7 pm | Home | Loyola Chicago | Chaifetz Arena | | W, 91-76 (27-3) |
| March 7, 2026 (Saturday) | 3 pm | Away | George Mason | Fairfax, Va. | | L, 86-57 (27-4) |
| March 13, 2026 (Friday) | 10:30 am | Neutral | #9 George Washington | Pittsburgh, Pa. | | W, 88-81 (28-4) |
| March 14, 2026 (Saturday) | 12 pm | Neutral | #4 Dayton | Pittsburgh, Pa. | | L, 70-69 (28-5) |
| March 19, 2026 (Thursday) | 8:45 pm | Neutral | #8 Georgia | Buffalo, N.Y. |  | W, 102-77 (29-5) |
| March 21, 2026 (Saturday) | 11:10 am | Neutral | #1 Michigan | Buffalo, N.Y. | | L, 95-72 (29-6) |