The SLU Billikens were picked to finish second in the Atlantic 10 Conference preseason poll released on Tuesday. (Photo: Terrance Williams)

WASHINGTON, DC — The Atlantic 10 Conference released its preseason men’s basketball poll and all-conference teams on Tuesday, and Saint Louis University was well represented in both.

The Billikens were picked to finish second in the team poll, with four players named to the preseason all-conference team.

Saint Louis earned 10 first-place votes and for the second straight year came in one point behind VCU for the first place slot. The Rams had 11 first-place votes and 308 total points, while SLU finished with 307 points.

Last season, both teams met those preseason expectations, as the Billikens and Rams tied for the A-10 regular season championship.

SLU fifth-year senior Kellen Thames was a first-team All-Conference selection in the Atlantic 10 Conference preseason poll released on Tuesday. (Photo: Terrance Williams)

SLU, which set a school record with 29 wins last season, including a victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, finished well ahead of Dayton, George Mason, and George Washington, who came in third, fourth, and fifth in the voting.

2026-27 ATLANTIC 10 MEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL

RANKSCHOOLPOINTSLAST SEASON RECORD
1.VCU (11)30828-8
2.SLU (10)30729-6
3.Dayton (2)27925-12
4.George Mason24023-10
5.George Washington20719-16
6.Saint Joseph’s18124-12
7.Fordham16917-14
8.Davidson14420-14
9.Richmond13815-16
10.Duquesne13018-15
11.Loyola Chicago1169-24
12.Rhode Island10416-16
13.La Salle599-22
14.St. Bonaventure3317-17

Seniors Trey Green and Kellen Thames were named to the A-10 preseason All-Conference first team, while junior Amari McCottry received second-team honors. Another junior, Ishan Sharma was named to the third team.

Green averaged 10.7 points and 2.9 rebounds per game in his first season at Saint Louis en route to third-team A10 honors in 2025-26. He connected on 92 3-pointers – ranking second in the A10 – while shooting 44.2 percent from beyond the arc to rank sixth nationally.

Thames, a fifth-year guard, averaged 9.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game last season while shooting 65.0 percent from the field. He also was a third-team All-Conference selection last season.

McCottry, who was named to the A10 third team a season ago, contributed 10.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game in 2025-26. Sharma averaged 9.1 points while making 80 3-pointers and shooting 41.7 percent from 3-point range last season. He was named to the league’s All-Academic team.

The Billikens will open the 2026-27 season on Monday, November 2, when they’ll host Lehigh. Opening tip at Chaifetz Arena that evening is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.

The three games at the Acrisure Classic and A-10/American Showcase will be televised nationally, as will SLU’s home A-10 games against VCU (February 5) and Saint Joseph’s (February 12), as well as its road conference games at Dayton (January 29) and at VCU (February 19).

2026-27 SLU BILLIKENS MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

DateTimeAtOpponentLocationTVRadio
October 23, 2026 (Friday)7 pmHomeBradley (exhibition)Chaifetz Arena
November 2, 2026 (Monday)7 pmHomeLehighChaifetz Arena
November 6, 2026 (Friday)6 pmNeutralMissouriSt. Louis, Mo. (Enterprise Center)
November 10, 2026 (Tuesday)7 pmHomeNorthern KentuckyChaifetz Arena
November 15, 2026 (Sunday)2 pmHomeHigh PointChaifetz Arena
November 20, 2026 (Friday)10 pmAwaySaint Mary’sMoraga, Calif.
November 24, 2026 (Tuesday)8:30 pmNeutralGrand CanyonPalm Desert, Calif. (Acrisure Arena)
November 25, 2026 (Wednesday)8:30 pm or 11 pmNeutralColorado or StanfordPalm Desert, Calif. (Acrisure Arena)
November 29, 2026 (Sunday)2:30 pmNeutralSouth FloridaColumbus, Ohio (Nationwide Arena)
December 2, 2026 (Wednesday)7 pmHomeArkansas-Pine BluffChaifetz Arena
December 6, 2026 (Sunday)1 pmHomeSoutheast MissouriChaifetz Arena
December 12, 2026 (Saturday)5:30 pmHomeDePaulChaifetz Arena
December 15, 2026 (Tuesday)7 pmHomeFlorida A&MChaifetz Arena
December 20, 2026 (Sunday)2 pmHomeJackson StateChaifetz Arena
December 27, 2026 (Sunday)2 pmHomeMissouri BaptistChaifetz Arena
December 30, 2026 (Wednesday)6 pmAwayFordham*Bronx, N.Y.
January 2, 2027 (Saturday)3 pmHomeSt. Bonaventure*Chaifetz Arena
January 6, 2027 (Wednesday)7 pmAwayRichmond*Richmond, Va.
January 9, 2027 (Saturday)5 pmHomeDayton*Chaifetz Arena
January 13, 2027 (Wednesday)6 pmHomeLoyola Chicago*Chaifetz Arena
January 20, 2027 (Wednesday)6 pmAwayLa Salle*Philadelphia, Pa.
January 23, 2027 (Saturday)7 pmAwaySaint Joseph’s*Philadelphia, Pa.
January 26, 2027 (Tuesday)6 pmHomeRhode Island*Chaifetz Arena
January 29, 2027 (Friday)5 pmAwayDayton*Dayton, Ohio
February 5, 2027 (Friday)6 pmHomeVCU*Chaifetz Arena
February 9, 2027 (Tuesday)7 pmAwayLoyola Chicago*Chicago, Ill.
February 12, 2027 (Friday)6 pmHomeSaint Joseph’s*Chaifetz Arena
February 16, 2027 (Tuesday)6 pmHomeDavidson*Chaifetz Arena
February 19, 2027 (Friday)6 pmAwayVCU*Richmond, Va.
February 24, 2027 (Wednesday)7 pmHomeLa Salle*Chaifetz Arena
February 27, 2027 (Saturday)7 pmAwayGeorge Washington*Washington, D.C.
March 3, 2027 (Wednesday)6 pmAwayDuquesne*Pittsburgh, Pa.
March 6, 2027 (Saturday)1:30 pmHomeGeorge Mason*Chaifetz Arena
March 10-14, 2027TBDNeutralAtlantic 10 Conference TournamentBronx, N.Y.

* – denotes Atlantic 10 Conference game