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Saint Louis Basketball: Mike Meadows the ideal late addition to the roster

By Tristan Freeman

Nov 9, 2021; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Portland Pilots guard Mike Meadows (25) dribbles against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 9, 2021; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Portland Pilots guard Mike Meadows (25) dribbles against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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After missing out on him in an earlier recruitment, Saint Louis Basketball was able to land Mike Meadows, set to run the offense for the 2023-24 season.

It’s been a long offseason for Mike Meadows when it comes to the transfer portal. After leaving Portland at the end of the season, the 6’2 combo guard had originally picked LMU. He backed out and ended up at Cal for a couple of months before more recently, de-committing again and becoming a free agent.

This time around, Meadows opted to not stay in the portal long, signing with his third program. Saint Louis Basketball was after the veteran guard before, thanks to Coach Travis Ford coaching Mike’s father. Now he gets to give the son the keys to the offense for next season.

Meadows isn’t going to be like Yuri Collins, who led college basketball in assists for each of the past couple of years. But the Billikens were set to have a true freshman start at point guard in either Cian Medley or Dorde Curcic. It’s a roster that after losing so much production, essentially has just Gibson Jimerson as the lone certain offensive weapon to give the ball to.

You can add Meadows to that group now. He was a double-digit scorer at both Eastern Washington and Portland, coming off averaging 11.0 ppg on 46% shooting from the field in 21 games. That includes a 39-point effort against Santa Clara on 14/22 shooting. He’s certainly more of a scorer than a facilitator, with just one 5+ assist game in all of last season, playing more off the ball next to Tyler Robertson.

Look for Meadows to be more on the ball this time around. Ideally, you have a backcourt of him, Sincere Parker, and Jimerson, which has a ton of potential offensively. And if Georgetown transfer center Bradley Ezewiro doesn’t get a waiver, you may have to see Terrence Hargrove and Tim Dalger Jr. be the starting frontcourt. The Billikens have had success with undersized lineups before and may have to go that route again.

Next. Each A-10 team's best transfer pickup this offseason. dark

The Atlantic 10 has a ton of veteran ball-handlers throughout the various rosters for next season and Saint Louis Basketball was in the opposite direction. Now they have experience of their own in the backcourt with Mike Meadows, hoping to make them more competitive in league play.

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