Home Basketball SLU MBB Preview: Billikens vs. Southeast Missouri

SLU MBB Preview: Billikens vs. Southeast Missouri

by Brian Kunderman

Saint Louis vs. Southeast Missouri
Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018 | 7 p.m. | St. Louis, Mo. (Chaifetz Arena)
TV: FSMW Plus (Dan McLaughlin, Scott Highmark) (channel listings)
Radio: 101 ESPN (Bob Ramsey, Earl Austin Jr.)
Online Coverage: FOX Sports App stream | ESPN+ (blacked out in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa) | Live Stats | @SaintLouisMBB on Twitter

++ SLU Game Notes ++

SETTING THE SCENE

– Saint Louis hosts Southeast Missouri Tuesday in the Billikens’ season opener. Tipoff at Chaifetz Arena is set for 7 p.m.

– The game will be televised on FOX Sports Midwest Plus (click here for channel info). Dan McLaughlin and Scott Highmark are on the call.

– The game will be streamed live nationwide on the FOX Sports App. It will also be streamed on ESPN+ outside of the FSMW footprint. The game will blacked out in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa for ESPN+ users.

– The radio broadcast will air on 101 ESPN (101.1 FM and 101Sports.com). As always, Billiken Hall of Famer Bob Ramsey provides the play-by-play, while St. Louis American Sports Editor Earl Austin Jr. handles the analysis.

ABOUT THE BILLIKENS

– Saint Louis begins the 2018-19 season on Tuesday when it welcomes Southeast Missouri State University to Chaifetz Arena.

– This is the 11th-straight season the Billikens have opened their season at Chaifetz Arena. They are 8-2 in the season debuts during that stretch.

– The Billikens were picked to win the Atlantic 10 Conference via a vote by A-10 coaches and media. The Bills claimed 15 of the 26 first-place votes to finish ahead of Saint Joseph’s (second) and Davidson (third).

– Senior guard Javon Bess is the Billikens’ leading returning scorer with 13.3 ppg. Another senior, forward D.J. Foreman, averaged 9.4 ppg in A-10 play and posted a .626 (87-of-139) field-goal percentage, which was third in a single season in school history.

– Sophomore guard Jordan Goodwin scored 11.5 ppg last season and led the Billikens in rebounding (7.5 rpg), assists (3.9 apg) and steals (2.0 spg). He also registered the program’s first-ever triple-double.

– Sophomore forward Hasahn French, an A-10 All-Rookie team selection last year, set a SLU freshman record with 59 blocked shots. He also collected 228 total rebounds, tied for second by a freshman in SLU history.

– The Billikens’ newcomers include a pair of graduate transfers in Tramaine Isabell Jr. (Drexel) and Dion Wiley(Maryland). Headlining a talented group of freshmen is forward Carte’Are Gordon, a four-star recruit out of Webster Groves HS.

– Tuesday’s game opens up a three-game homestand for Saint Louis. The Billikens host Troy on Saturday and North Alabama next Tuesday.

ABOUT THE REDHAWKS

– Last season, Southeast Missouri finished 14-17 overall and 8-10 in OVC play. The Redhawks are ranked ninth in the league’s preseason poll.

– Preseason All-OVC guard Ledarrius Brewer returns for SEMO. He played in 31 games, made 27 starts and led the Redhawks with 71 three-pointers made. Brewer ranked 14th in the OVC in scoring (14.5 ppg), 15th in free throw percentage (.740), sixth in 3-point field goals made (2.3 per game) and 21st in minutes played (29.4 mpg). He also led SEMO in blocks (16) and garnered OVC All-Newcomer honors in 2017-18.

– Another returning starter for the Redhawks is guard Jonathan Dalton. He started 30 games and led the team with 32.2 minutes per contest last season. Dalton averaged 5.3 points and 2.2 rebounds and led SEMO with 168 assists and 38 steals.

– The Redhawks will feature a wealth of newcomers, as their roster includes nine players who have never played at the NCAA Division I level.

– Head coach Rick Ray is in his fourth season at Southeast Missouri State. He spent the previous three seasons as head coach at Mississippi State.

SERIES HISTORY

The Billikens lead the all-time series 10-4 … SLU has won three in a row in games played at Chaifetz Arena … the games in 2009 and 2013 were also season openers … SEMO’s last win in the series came in the 2004 season, a 65-49 victory at Enterprise Center.

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