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Team: St. Louis Billikens
Sport: NCAA Division I Men's Basketball
Conference: Atlantic 10
Coach: Travis Ford
Conference Regular Season Titles: 7
Last Conference Tournament Title: 2019
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'The St. Louis University Billikens have long been known for playing a defensive-heavy style of basketball that has frustrated opponents into submission. Teams can expect an intense and physical game when the Billikens take the court. If previous playing history is any indication, St. Louis likely will not score a ton of points on the court, but its opponents will struggle to light the scoreboard against the Billikens' suffocating defense. Last season, they were No. 23 nationally in scoring defense. For the Billikens, this style of play has put the school on the map and into the upper echelon of teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Coming off an Atlantic 10 Conference title, the Billikens are in a familiar place: projected to be at or near the top of the conference for yet another year. While St. Louis University has moved conferences several times over the years, it has found a home in its current conference. Pick up your St. Louis Billikens' basketball tickets at StubHub.'
'St. Louis' physical style dates back to beloved head coach Charlie Spoonhour. The Spoon took over a faltering program that had never broken through and had the Billikens in the NCAA Tournament by his second year. Coaching legend Rick Majerus kept this style in his five years coaching the program, and every coach who prowls the sideline sticks to the defense-first philosophy. Teams that go up against the Billikens know to expect a brutal, physical game.'
'NBA fans will likely remember the name Larry Hughes who played for 13 years in the league for a number of teams. Hughes was a rare example of a high-scoring individual player at St. Louis. Anthony Bonner also had a productive career in the NBA. Bonner's number is retired at St. Louis, and he exemplified the team's physical playing style. Bonner is the school's all-time leading scorer, a record that has stood for nearly 30 years.'
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The Billikens finished last season with a 23-13 record. St. Louis got hot in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament and swept through the weekend as the sixth seed, beating
St. Bonaventure
in the title game, to win an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. The Billikens lost to Virginia Tech in their opening-round game. Last year's team was very young, featuring numerous freshmen and sophomores, meaning that the Billikens arrived ahead of schedule.
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The Billikens basketball team plays at
Chaifetz Arena
. Their home court is one of the newer buildings in college basketball having opened for play in 2008. Chaifetz Arena seats 10,600 for basketball games. The student section is located is in the west end of the arena, and the Billikens fans are known for being loud. Even the upper-level seats, which cost roughly $20, put you right on top of the action.
''Under Majerus and former coach Jim Crews, the Billikens reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament three seasons in a row. St. Louis has appeared in the NCAA Tournament 10 times and reached the Elite Eight in 1952. The Billikens have reached the finals of the NIT three times but have not won a title in that tournament.'