Junior guard Sincere Parker, the Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Week, will lead SLU into a Friday night matchup against VCU. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
SLU Basketball – Gameday Info
Game No. 25 – VCU (16-8, 8-3) at Saint Louis University (9-15, 2-9)
Date/Time – February 16, 2024 – 6 pm
Location – Chaifetz Arena — St. Louis, MO
Broadcast – ESPN2
Radio – KMOX 1120AM
Live Stats – SLU StatBroadcast
Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
ST. LOUIS, MO — After spending last week on the road and then having most of this week off, the Saint Louis University men’s basketball team will return to the court at Chaifetz Arena, Friday night for an Atlantic 10 Conference matchup against VCU.
Saint Louis played two very different games last week. The Billikens blew out La Salle last Wednesday, 102-84, then lost a heartbreaker in the final seconds to Saint Joseph’s.
This week, SLU will get a chance to right its ship with what figures to be a tough contest against VCU. The Rams smashed the Billikens, 85-61, when they played in Richmond last month.
SLU shot just 35 percent in that game and only 30 percent in the first half, when it fell behind by 10 points at the half. Things only got worse in the second half, as VCU hammered Saint Louis to build a 28-point lead before winning by 24.
That loss was the second of what became a six-game losing streak for the Billikens. But the team is playing much better now that its moved into February.
If last week’s games are any indication, Saint Louis looks like a team that’s finding its stride on offense, which it will need to do against the always tough VCU defense.
The Rams will come into Chaifetz on a three-game winning streak, which includes a win over No. 16 Dayton last Friday. Overall, VCU has won eight of their last nine and believes it can make the NCAA Tournament if it can keep its streak going.
If they are going to make the tournament, the Rams can not afford a loss to Saint Louis, especially with only three weeks left in the regular season.
Players to Watch: With Friday’s contest set to be televised on ESPN2, the player most of the nation will be watching is SLU junior guard Sincere Parker.
He was named A-10 Conference Player of the Week, and also won a couple of national player of the week awards, after twice topping his career-high with 33 points and 34 points, respectively, in the Billikens’ games against La Salle and Saint Joe’s.
Parker now leads the Billikens in overall scoring at 15.8 points per game, followed by fellow junior Gibson Jimerson (14.2 ppg), senior Terrence Hargrove (12.6), and junior big man Bradley Ezewiro (12.6).
VCU’s leading scorers are Max Shulga (14.5 ppg), Joe Bamisile (12.2), Zeb Jackson (11.6), and Sean Barstow (10.5). The Rams have won five of its last six meetings with SLU, and is 15-5 all-time against the Billikens.
Up Next: SLU will be back on the road for its next game. The Billikens will be in Pittsburgh on Tuesday to take on Duquesne.
SLU’s next home game will be next Saturday, February 24, when the Billikens will host George Washington. Tip off for that contest is slated for 2 p.m.
VCU RAMS STARTERS
| Player | Yr. | Pos. | Ht./Wt. | PPG | RPG | Assists | Steals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Zeb Jackson | Sr. | Guard | 6’5/185 | 11.6 | 4.3 | 80 | 27 |
| 7 Sean Bairstow | Gr. | Forward | 6’8/205 | 10.5 | 5.0 | 48 | 3 |
| 11 Max Shulga | Sr. | Guard | 6’5/200 | 14.5 | 4.8 | 90 | 23 |
| 13 Kuany Kuany | Gr. | Forward | 6’9/200 | 6.6 | 2.9 | 14 | 11 |
| 21 Christian Fermin | So. | Forward | 6’10/225 | 6.0 | 4.7 | 12 | 5 |
SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY BILLIKENS STARTERS
| Player | Yr. | Pos. | Ht./Wt. | PPG | RPG | Assists | Steals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Cian Medley | Fr. | Guard | 5’11/165 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 79 | 20 |
| 2 Larry Hughes II | So. | Guard | 6’4/185 | 6.5 | 2.6 | 21 | 22 |
| 3 Bradley Ezewiro | Jr. | Forward | 6’9/265 | 12.6 | 6.2 | 9 | 4 |
| 22 Terrance Hargrove | Sr. | Forward | 6’5/215 | 12.6 | 5.6 | 19 | 12 |
| 24 Gibson Jimerson | Jr. | Guard | 6’5/215 | 14.2 | 3.3 | 45 | 12 |
2023-24 SLU Billikens Men’s Basketball Schedule
| Date | Gametime | At | Opponent | Location | TV | Radio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 16, 2024 (Friday) | 6 pm | Home | VCU | Chaifetz Arena | ESPN2 | KMOX 1120AM |
| February 20, 2024 (Tuesday) | 6 pm | Away | Duquesne | Pittsburgh, Pa. (UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse) | Bally Sports Midwest | KMOX 1120AM |
| February 24, 2024 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Home | George Washington | Chaifetz Arena | Bally Sports Midwest | KMOX 1120AM |
| February 28, 2024 (Wednesday) | 7 pm | Home | Richmond | Chaifetz Arena | Bally Sports Midwest | KMOX 1120AM |
| March 2, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 pm | Away | Rhode Island | Kingston, R.I. (Ryan Center) | CBSSN | KMOX 1120AM |
| March 5, 2024 (Tuesday) | 8 pm | Home | #16 Dayton | Chaifetz Arena | CBSSN | KMOX 1120AM |
| March 9, 2024 (Saturday) | 11:30 am | Away | St. Bonaventure | St. Bonaventure, N.Y. (Reilly Center) | USA Network | KMOX 1120AM |
| March 12-17 Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament | TBA | Neutral | TBA | Brooklyn, N.Y. (Barclay’s Center) |