Saint Louis Basketball: Takeaways from 3-0 start to 2021-22 season

FAIRFAX, VA - MARCH 04: Head coach Travis Ford of the Saint Louis Billikens signals to his players during a college basketball game against the George Mason Patriots at the Eagle Bank Arena on March 4, 2020 in Fairfax, Virginia. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

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Oregon transfer Francis Okoro provides rebounding and defense for Saint Louis. W 23379 /

Solid defensive effort

Ford hangs his hat on defense. SLU’s defense is consistently among the national leaders. Last season’s 65.4 points per game defensive average are tied for the worst in Saint Louis’ last five years. The current club is allowing 53 points per game.

SLU terrorizes opposing offenses with long, athletic, and aggressive defenders. During Collins’ first two seasons he has been among the league’s steals leaders and through three games this season, the Bills are averaging 11.3 steals per game.

SLU is not overly tall, but their overall length is helpful on the defensive end. Okoro at 6’9 is the tallest person in the Billiken rotation, but Linssen (6’8), Nesbitt (6’6), Jimmerson (6’5), and Hargrove (6’4) all have good size and this team is athletic and long.

They create offense from their defense and explosive dunks are a big part of their offensive production. During their 86-44 victory over Eastern Illinois, SLU scored 23 ‘fast-break points and 19 off turnovers.

While SLU doesn’t block a large number of shots, they alter far more than a statistician can record. EIU scored just 19 points-in-the-paint’.

Facing Memphis will be a completely different challenge. Four of the Tigers’ top six players are 6’7 or taller. Explosive freshmen Emoni Bates (6’9) and Jalen Duren (6’11) are dynamically different players from what SLU has seen so far. 6’7 redshirt junior Landers Nolley, last year’s leading scorer, is healthy and didn’t start the Tigers’ opener. They are deep, tall, and talented.

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