NCAA Basketball: 10 biggest takeaways from opening week of 2021-22 season

Yuri Collins

After a season where they finished fourth place in the Atlantic-10, the Saint Louis Billikens were returning 60 percent of their scoring from last season and were primed to not only be a contender for the Atlantic 10 title but were in a position to be considered among the best mid-major programs, then, the most unfortunate of circumstances.

When leading scorer and starting small forward Javonte Perkins tore an ACL in his knee, it signaled the end of his season and the end of the Bilikins competitive season. So was the thought, and a justified one at that, but the Billikens and Head Coach Travis Ford were not so anxious to concede to that narrative.

The Billikens have a record of 3-0 since non-conference play began on Tuesday. None of the games were against opponents who match the caliber of the top Atlantic 10 in St. Bonaventure and Richmond as they defeated Central Arkansas by 35, Harris-Stowe by 73, and Eastern Illinois. It is not the victory, however, that is important, it is the individual who emerged as the leader to ensure the Billikens live up to the original expectations.

The player to do that was third-year point guard Yuri Collins, who has averaged just over five points a slightly fewer than six assists in his previous two seasons has stepped up in the absence of Perkins. In the first three games to average 9.7 points and 9.3 assists per game.