Saint Louis basketball dominated when it mattered most. The Billikens defeated George Washington 88-81 in Atlantic 10 Tournament quarterfinal action, pushing their record to 28-4 on the season. The win came just hours after Saint Louis announced a major piece of good news: head coach Josh Schertz agreed to a contract extension to stay with the program, signaling confidence in the direction of the program.
Robbie Avila led Saint Louis with 22 points in the victory. The senior, who was named A-10 Player of the Year, was crucial down the stretch as the Billikens pushed past a defensive George Washington team. The win came after the teams faced off earlier in the regular season, with Saint Louis pulling away late to secure the matchup advantage.
Saint Louis finished the regular season with a 27-4 record, the best in school history, and the A-10 Tournament victory sets them up nicely for a potential championship run. Saint Louis was considered likely to make the NCAA tournament, and coach Schertz believes the Billikens are worthy of making the 68-team NCAA tournament field regardless of how the rest of the weekend goes. With SLU just one win away from tying the school record for wins in a season, the Billikens remain one of the most exciting teams in college basketball heading deeper into March.