Jim Crews laughs with reporters after it was announced he has been named the new head coach of the Saint Louis University Billikens mens basketball team in St. Louis on April 12, 2013. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

Jim Crews, who led the Saint Louis University men’s basketball team to unprecedented success in 2012-13 as interim head coach, has been named the Billikens’ head coach.  Crews was named interim head coach at the beginning of the 2012-13 season when it was announced that Rick Majerus would not coach this season. Majerus died Dec. 1. Crews led the Billikens to a school-record 28 victories (28-7), Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season and tournament championships and a second straight NCAA Tournament bid.

“I have said from day one that it is about the people – the players, staff, administration and fans – and the people here are 100 percent committed to this team and this program,” Crews said. “I’ve seen first hand the values that Saint Louis University possesses, and I believe strongly in those same values. They are paramount in the college experience. Moving forward, nothing changes. As a staff, our philosophy is to continue to get better each and every day, on the court and off the court, and we continue to do that.”

Crews earned national coach of the year awards from the Sporting News and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). He was one of four finalists for the Naismith Coach of the Year award. In addition, he earned his fifth conference coach of the year honor when he was named A-10 Coach of the Year.

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A hot-shooting Oregon team defeated Saint Louis University 74-57 Saturday in NCAA Tournament third-round action at HP Pavilion.  Saint Louis, the No. 4 seed in the Midwest and the Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season and tournament champions, ends the season 28-7. The 28 victories, which include a 64-44 NCAA Tournament second-round win over New Mexico State, are a school record.

Kwamain Mitchell led the Billikens with 18 points and a game-high five steals while adding three assists. Dwayne Evans (8-of-13 FG) had 16 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while Jordair Jett tossed in 11 points.

Oregon, the No. 12 seed, advances to next week’s Midwest Regional in Indianapolis with a 28-8 mark. The Ducks, who won the Pac-12 Tournament title, captured a fifth straight victory.

Damyean Dotson led an Oregon offense that shot 52.8 percent from the floor overall and 72.7 percent (8-of-11) from 3-point range. Dotson, who was 8-of-12 overall and 5-of-6 from beyond the arc, scored 23 points.

Carlos Emory (6-of-10 FG) and E.J. Singler netted 14 points apiece. Arsalan Kazemi grabbed 16 rebounds to lead the Ducks to a 38-27 advantage on the boards, while Johnathan Loyd dished out six assists.

The Billikens jumped out to a 7-2 lead on a Rob Loe free throw, Evans’ 19-footer from the right wing, two more Loe free throws and Jett’s fast-break layup on a pretty feed from Mitchell.

Oregon finished the first half with a 21-4 flurry that gave the Ducks a 35-19 lead at intermission. In the second, SLU narrowed the gap to 37-26, but Oregon answered with a 7-2 run to restore its 16-point halftime advantage, 44-28. A later Ducks run of 15-2 provided a 63-39 cushion.

Story courtesy of SLUBillikens.com

Jordair Jett scored all 16 of his points in the second half and Mike McCall, Jr. added 15 to help the Saint Louis Billikens win its eighth straight and take sole possession of first place in the Atlantic 10 with a 76-62 victory over No. 24 VCU on Tuesday night. Saint Louis (20-5, 9-2) holds a half-game advantage over No. 15 Butler (21-6, 9-3), and the Billikens will visit Butler on Friday. SLU defeated the Bulldogs at home 75-58 on Jan. 31.

The Rams were averaging an Atlantic-10 best, 78.1 points, but the Billikens’ league-leading defense (57.8 ppg)held the Rams without a field goal for more than 10 minutes, and allowed just eight baskets during the first half. The Billikens built a 38-21 halftime lead.

VCU found its stroke to start the second half, as the Rams made their first five shots, but could only cut the lead to 11 points.