Saint Louis Billikens Archives

#Billikens bus goes missing. Found 40 miles away with a drunk driver

February 9, 2017 By Bill Pollock

SLU basketball players kill time playing cards while police track down their bus (photo/@SaintLouisMBB Twitter)

After the Saint Louis Billikens men’s basketball team lost 70-55 at St. Bonaventure in western New York, the team showered up and got ready to board the bus to head back to the airport. One small problem. There was no bus. Thanks to a GPS device left on the bus, state troopers were able to locate the team bus some 40 miles away from the arena.

Police also found the 56-year old female driver clearly smelled alcohol on her breath. She was arrested for DWI.

The Billikens were able to retrieve their gear from the “drunk bus” and transfer it to a new bus with a sober driver. The team arrived at the airport just after midnight, local time.

SLU Billikens remain winless in conference play after loss at Duquesne

January 12, 2017 By Bill Pollock

The Billikens fell to 0-4 in A-10 play.

In a back-and-forth battle that saw six ties and seven lead changes, Duquesne edged Saint Louis 73-66 Wednesday in an Atlantic 10 Conference men’s basketball matchup at the Palumbo Center in Pittsburgh, Pa. The Billikens fall to 4-12 overall and 0-4 in the A-10, while Duquesne improves to 9-8 overall and 2-2 in the league.

Senior forward Reggie Agbeko came off the bench to lead the Billikens with 18 points – two points shy of his career best. Agbeko was 8-of-11 from the field and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. Junior guard Davell Roby scored 14 points for Saint Louis, while junior guard Aaron Hines chipped in nine. Freshman forward Jalen Johnson, who earned his first-career start, scored nine points (eight in the first half alone) thanks in part to a pair of first-half treys.

SLU’s two-game road trip continues Saturday when it travels to Fairfax, Virginia, to take on George Mason in a 1:30 p.m. (CT) tipoff on NBCSN.

Story and photo courtesy-Saint Louis Athletics

SLU Billikens shoot lights out in the first half and still lose to SIU

December 15, 2016 By Bill Pollock

The Saint Louis Billikens shot a sizzling 60 percent (12-of-20) in the first half and hit seven three pointers, but the Billikens led by as much as eight points in the first half and took a 32-30 lead into halftime only to lose to Southern Illinois 70-55 victory over Saint Louis Wednesday in non-conference men’s basketball action at SIU Arena.

The Billikens fall to 3-7 with the loss, while Southern Illinois improves to 6-5.

Saint Louis hit a season-high nine 3-pointers, but also tied a season high with 21 turnovers. The Billikens were without leading scorer Jermaine Bishop, who did not dress due to an injury.

Senior forward Reggie Agbeko registered his fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Junior guard Davell Roby and freshman guard Zeke Moore each hit three 3-pointers and finished 10 points and nine points, respectively. Roby tied his career high with six assists.

SLU

Everyone is bashing the new Billikens mascot…I actually like it.

September 22, 2016 By Bill Pollock

Here’s the new Billiken (photo/SLU Athletics)

Saint Louis University updated their mascot, the Billiken. Of course, because something is new and different, most want to take shots at it and call it “scary, unsettling, hungry for your soul.”

I actually kind of like it.

It has kind of a Muppets feel to it. How can you not like the Muppets?

SLU president Fred Pestello told the St. Louis Post Dispatch that the students were looking “for a Billiken that was a little more contemporary. More aggressive looking, but still smiling and giving that knowing wink.”

It’s a little edgier, you don’t see the huge honking ears, he doesn’t look like a pushover and still has some of the traditional features of the Billiken.

First of all…the Billiken is a mythical character, so it’s totally up for personal intrepretation…it’s a made up character, it’s not like we’re looking at a goofy version of an Eagle or Tiger. However, if you look at this new Billliken, compared to the old one below…THAT THING FREAKS ME OUT!

How does this not creep you out? (photo/SLU Athletics)

How did this not creep you out? (photo/SLU Athletics)

WHAT IS A BILLIKEN?

To get more specific on what exactly is a Billiken–its a mythical good-luck figure who represents “things as they ought to be.”

That thing to the right doesn’t look like lucky to me. Imagining walking into a room full of stuffed animals and there’s the old Billiken head right in the middle of cute teddy bears and other furry animals. That’s a nightmare!

The old Billiken is crossed eye, has a receding hairline and appears to be toothless with a recessed lip line.

Is this Frat Party Billiken? (photo/SLU Athletics)

If you go even further back to the Billiken of the 80’s…this thing looks like he showed up to a Mascot’s track and field event on Saturday morning after going on an all-night bender and then ended the night at three in the morning with a fight in the alley and now his right eye is swollen shut!

So I ask you Billiken fans? Would you rather have, drunk-bar fight Billiken, creep me out stuffed animal Billiken, or the new Billiken?

I think the new Billiken is kind of cool!

Mizzou baseball holds off SLU at Kauffman Stadium

March 30, 2016 By Bill Pollock

Ryan Howard (photo/Mizzou)

The Mizzou baseball team scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the lead and go on for a 5-3 win over the SLU Billikens on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.

Only 724 fans turned out to watch the game.

Saint Louis falls to 12-13. Mizzou improves to 15-12.

The Tigers defense turned five double plays. Junior SS Ryan Howard went 1-for-3 in the game and is now on a three game hit-streak. Howard has reached base safely now in five consecutive games.

Mizzou forced The Billiken’s Brett Shimanovsky’s to give up his first earned run in his last five game appearances. Shimanovsky had not allowed any earned runs since March 11th against Purdue.

[Read more…]

Citing “a change in leadership is needed,” SLU AD Chris May pulls the plug on Crews

March 11, 2016 By Bill Pollock

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

Saint Louis University Director of Athletics Chris May fired SLU’s head men’s basketball coach Jim Crews. The move came after the Billikens lost 73-65 to George Washington in the Atlantic 10 Conference Men’s Basketball Championship in Brooklyn, N.Y.

“After reviewing the 2015-16 season and talking with Coach Crews, I have decided that a change in leadership of the men’s basketball program is needed for the program to move forward in meeting our goals,” May said.

The Billikens conclude this season with an 11-21 overall record.

Things quickly turned sour for Crews after promising things started. Crews joined the Billiken staff in 2011-12 as an assistant coach and was tabbed interim head coach for the 2012-13 season and had that tag removed after that season. In four years as the Billikens’ head coach, he was 77-56 and led SLU to two NCAA Tournament appearances. SLU won A-10 regular-season titles in 2013 and 2014 and won the 2013 A-10 Men’s Basketball Championship.

30 former SLU Billikens soccer players have now been drafted by MLS teams after latest draft

January 20, 2016 By Bill Pollock

Saint Louis University midfielder Faik Hajderovic

Three former Saint Louis Billikens soccer players were taken during the third and fourth rounds Major League Soccer’s Superdraft on Tuesday. Vince Cicciarelli was taken in the third round by the Columbus Crew; Faik Hajderovic was a fourth-round pick by Sporting Kansas City; and Tyler David was selected in the fourth round by the Vancouver Whitecaps. It is the third year in a row Saint Louis has had multiple players taken in the MLS draft. Last year, four Billikens were selected, while two Billikens were drafted in the 2014 MLS draft. Since the first draft in 1996, 30 former Billikens have been drafted into MLS.

“All three of these players came to SLU to chase their dream of playing professionally, and we are fortunate to be a part of helping them realize that dream,” Saint Louis head coach Mike McGinty said. “We look forward to following their careers and wish them the best of luck at the next level.”

Cicciarelli finished his collegiate career at Saint Louis after playing three seasons at Notre Dame. He led the Billikens in 2015 with six goals en route to second-team All-Conference honors.

Hajderovic transferred to SLU for his senior year after playing three seasons at Evansville. He finished his career with 25 assists, the most among active NCAA Division I players last year.

David was a four-year starter for the Billikens. He picked up first-team All-Conference honors as a senior after starting every game. David contributed to a defensive effort that helped the Billikens tie for the league lead in fewest goals allowed.

Story courtesy: SLU Athletics

#SLU Billikens women’s basketball come up short in setting a school mark for best start

December 8, 2015 By Bill Pollock

Sadie Stipanovich (40) passes to a teammate. (photo/SLUBillikens.com)

Sadie Stipanovich scored a Saint Louis season-high 24 points, but SIUE handed the Billikens their first defeat of the season in a 71-64 final Monday night at the Vadalabene Center. SLU dipped to 7-1 with the loss, while SIUE improved to 4-5.

The Billikens began the second quarter with an 11-4 run, including eight points from Stipanovich, to go on top 25-22. The Cougars used a 10-1 run to take a 47-41 third-quarter lead. The Billikens regained the upper hand, 50-49, with six points by Stipanovich early in the fourth, but SIUE responded to go back on top for good two possessions later.

SLU was looking for their first 8-0 start in program history.

Stipanovich was 7-of-13 from the field and 10-of-10 from the foul line. The 10-of-10 effort is the second-best perfect free throw performance in the A-10 this season. The daughter of Mizzou great Steve Stipanovich gathered a SLU season-high five offensive rebounds.

Billikens volleyball sweeps Mizzou 3-0, handing Tigers their first loss of the season

September 24, 2015 By Bill Pollock

SLU volleyball swept Mizzou for the Tigers first defeat of the season (photo/SLUBillikens.com)

Saint Louis swept visiting Missouri 3-0 (25-16, 25-22, 25-19) at Chaifetz Pavilion, handing the Tigers their first loss of the season.

Missouri entered the match sixth in the NCAA with a .312 team attack percentage. Saint Louis held the Tigers to a .136 attack percentage. Seven errors in the opening set by the Tigers led to a 1-0 advantage by Saint Louis. The Billikens used an 8-5 run to take a 2-0 overall lead in the second. Efficient hitting led the way for SLU in the third.

Junior Carly Kan had a team-leading 12 kills for Mizzou, while sophomore Courtney Eckenrode paced the team with 21 assists. SLU was led by junior outside hitter Danielle Rygelski who recorded her 1,000th career kill. Rygelski is the 13th Billiken to amass 1,000 kills in her career. Rygelski was the top hitter, with 17 kills and a mere two errors on 27 attacks for a .556 attack percentage.

The Billikens open conference play with a pair of road contests. Saint Louis takes on La Salle on Sept. 25 and Duquesne on Sept. 27.

The Tigers begin SEC play Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the Hearnes Center against No. 5 Florida. Mizzou’s conference opener.

Learfield Sports awarded multimedia rights holder for SLU Billikens athletics. Deal runs through 2020

July 16, 2015 By Bill Pollock

Photo courtesy: SLU Athletics

Saint Louis University Director of Athletics Chris May and Learfield Sports President and CEO Greg Brown today announced a multimedia rights partnership through 2020.

It is the first time in school history that SLU is outsourcing its comprehensive athletics rights. The agreement includes the establishment of Billiken Sports Properties, which is led by General Manager John Sartorius. The rights affiliation also will be leveraged with Learfield Licensing Partners, a Learfield Sports company that represents SLU’s domestic licensing program.

“Clearly, this is an important step for our program, and we could not be happier to be aligned with Learfield Sports,” May said. “Learfield is a true leader in the industry and is highly regarded throughout the collegiate sports community with a strong local, regional and national presence. We look forward to teaming with Learfield to grow the Billiken athletic brand both in the corporate world and in merchandising. ”

Billiken Sports Properties will manage the comprehensive SLU athletics rights relationships including signage, sponsorships, corporate hospitality, event marketing, radio play-by-play and coaches’ shows, television and official athletic sponsorships on www.SLUBillikens.com. Learfield’s rights also include third-tier television rights for SLU men’s basketball games at Chaifetz Arena.

Sartorius has more than 20 years of sales and corporate partner experience. He served as associate general manager for Learfield at the University of Missouri and held executive roles at the Saint Louis Zoo, Anheuser-Busch Beer and Theme Park Divisions, and Ralston Purina.

“It is a privilege for us to assist Chris May and his team with enhancing the SLU athletics brand throughout the St. Louis area,” Brown said. “What a terrific opportunity for the Billikens to combine their multimedia rights, branding and licensing under one umbrella, and we’re honored to be selected for that responsibility.”

Learfield Sports now represents the multimedia rights agreements for four Atlantic 10 Conference schools, adding SLU to Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Duquesne. Learfield Licensing Partners has five agreements with A-10 schools – SLU, Richmond, Dayton, St. Bonaventure and Davidson.

Learfield Sports manages the multimedia rights for nearly 100 collegiate properties and has more than four decades of developing trusted relationships with some of the most revered institutions and associations in the world of college sports. It also titles the prestigious Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup with award co-founders NACDA and USA Today. To learn more about its history, job opportunities, and owned businesses in professional ticketing and concessions; licensing and trademark consulting; web solutions; and venue signage and technology, visit www.learfieldsports.com.