NCAA Basketball: Gonzaga, Houston lead in updated way-too-early top 25 ranking
By Joey Loose
24. Saint Louis
Travis Ford has done a fantastic job since arriving at Saint Louis back in 2016 making these Billikens a legitimate contender again. These last few seasons have been successful for the Billikens, but Ford’s only Tourney bid remains in 2019 when the team had a fantastic run through the A-10 Tournament. However, the shape of this roster indicates that this could be a special year for the Billikens.
Saint Louis’s top four leading scorers return for another year, highlighted by Gibson Jimerson, who averaged 16.3 points per game during his freshman campaign. After a brief entry in the Transfer Portal, speedy guard Yuri Collins (11.1 ppg, 7.9 apg) returns for his junior year. A bonus for the Billikens is the return of talented guard Javonte Perkins, who missed all of last season but led the team with 17.1 points per game back in 2021.
When you throw in Missouri transfer Javon Pickett and talented center Francis Okoro, this Billikens roster is as loaded as it’s been since Ford has led this program. The Billikens are going to be in a dogfight in the A-10, but certainly stand out as one of the favorites in America’s best mid-major league. Saint Louis has been trending in the right direction these last few seasons, and this combination of talent and veteran leadership could lead to a special year for the Billikens.