St Louis

GameNight: St Louis vs Kent State

Fairway Jay — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:18:56 -0500

Start: Nov 19 2008 - 8:00pm

Preview & Prediction: By Fairway Jay

St Louis looked horrible in its opening game win against D-II Missouri, 48-33. The Billikens started 3 freshmen and could find no scoring with senior shooting guard Kevin Lisch (14.6ppg) out with a tailbone injury. St Louis went six minutes at one point without a score and shot only 37.8% with 11 turnovers while only forcing a D-II team to turn it over six times. Lisch returns for this contest and forms a solid senior backcourt with Tommie Liddell.

Kent State has its three perimeter players back from last year and seem to be enjoying a seamless transition with the coaching change to Geno Ford. Last November Kent destroyed St Louis 81-40 and has a majority of this same nucleus back. Revenge motive noted, but redemption usually requires an equal or better team, and St. Louis is the inferior foe here. St. Louis head coach Rick Majerus has noted that this is still a very young and apprehensive team learning their way with his disciplined style and system and deliberate offense, even with Lisch and Liddell in the backcourt. St. Louis was the A-10’s worst scoring team last year, and their solid defense may take a little time to take hold with the influx of new players.

New on-campus Chaifetz Arena for St. Louis, but a similar result to last year expected – a Kent State victory.

Winner: Kent State

State of '08: Missouri

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:09:49 -0400

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Duke or Carolina? BC or UMASS? Gonzaga or Washington.. or Washington State? What is the best program in each state? While there's not much competition in Hawaii.. there are great debates to be had in loaded regions like California, North Carolina, and Texas. The State of '08 is a ranking of every program in every state.. based mostly on recent success (the last five years) mixed in with subjective factors such as conference prestige, historical success, and overall program direction.

For more info, check out the State of '08 introduction.

MISSOURI

MISSOURI STATE - In nine seasons, Barry Hinson could never get the Bears over the NIT hump. In 2006 & 2007, the Bears made the NIT despite great RPIs of 21 & 36. Chalk it up to a little bad luck. Now Hinson is out, and the future looks murky under Cuonzo Martin. Martin, a first time head coach, inherits a depleted roster that is destined to finish near the bottom of the MVC in 2009.

MISSOURI - For whatever reason, the whole state of Missouri is struggling on the hardwood. The Tigers haven't reached the promise land since 2003. Before then, Mizzou had made 14 of 18 Tournaments, mostly under legendary coach Norm Stewart. But Quin Snyder, and now 3rd year coach Mike Anderson, have struggled to build any positive momentum. Over the past four years, Missouri State's RPI has been about 45 spots higher per year on average. This could be the first season since 2003 that the Tigers are legitimately the best team in the state.

SAINT LOUIS - While MSU/SMS hasn't made the Tourney since 1999, SLU is also in the midst of a decade-long drought. Since Lorenzo Romar led the Bills to the 2000 Dance, there's only been 2 NIT trips and a whole bunch of mediocrity. Rick Majerus was brought in to change things, but its hard to imagine anything better than an NIT bid this year.

UMKC - Neither the past nor the present has been particularly kind to UMKC. The Kangaroos have never made the Big Dance, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. 2005 was the last year UMKC looked dangerous in the Summit League, but even that year went sour after they started 9-0 in league pay.

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE - Unlike UMKC, at least SEMO has made the NCAA Tournament. In 2000, the Redhawks almost upset LSU in the opening round after going 14-4 in the OVC. Since that time, SEMO has really struggled, having only finished above .500 once. The last three seasons have been particularly bad with consecutive sub 290 RPIs.

Last: Mississippi - Next: New Jersey

State of '08: The Introduction (& State list/links)

2008-09 Saint Louis Basketball Preview: #81

Joel Welser — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:00:52 -0400

Saint Louis Billikens

Overall Rank: #81

Conference Rank: #7 Atlantic 10

2007-08: 16-16, 7-9, 9^th

2007-08 postseason: none

Many expected Coach Rick Majerus to work miracles overnight. That has not happened quite yet, but St. Louis is bringing in plenty of talent, opening a brand new on-campus arena, and the excitement has not waned. The 2007-2008 season was marred by inconsistency. The 20 point effort against George Washington was memorable for a bad reason, but there were some decent victories against teams like Rhode Island, St. Joseph’s and Massachusetts. With just four players returning, the consistency issues will not likely be addressed by this group of youngsters, but the talent level continues to improve. And with Coach Majerus on their side, that could be enough for the Billikens to make a surprising run in the A-10.

Who’s Out:

This is a big group of graduates and transfers. Despite the talent lost, St. Louis hopes the influx of Coach Majerus’ players will yield better results. The most productive player lost is Luke Meyer. The forward was third on the team in scoring and led the squad in rebounds last year. Fellow frontcourt players Bryce Husak, Adam Knollmeyer, Anthony Mitchell and Marcus Relphorde have also wrapped up their careers with the Billikens. Sixth man sharpshooter Danny Brown will be missed out of the backcourt. He did not take too many shots, but he did knock down 49 percent of his attempts from long range. Dwayne Polk started 30 games during his senior campaign and Peyton Jacks and Mike Jones have left the program.

Who’s In:

With eight newcomers who could see action, the battles for playing time will be fierce. At the point guard spot, Ruben Cotto and Kwamain Mitchell hope to find some minutes. Cotto is a tough and quick player who can score and find his teammates. Mitchell is the more highly touted recruit of the two and could step into a leadership role immediately on this young team. Kyle Cassity, Femi John, and Daniel Lisch give the Bills plenty of options on the wings. At 6-5, Cassity has plenty of size, and he will use that size to get to the basket and make plays. Yet, he is not just a scorer and Cassity can, and will, pass the ball and make his teammates better. Once he gains some strength, he should be a solid scoring threat. The most talent might be in the paint where Brian Conklin, Willie Reed and Brett Thompson join the fray. Reed is a little raw, but the 6-9 center is a good athlete who can run the floor and block some shots. If his game can come together quickly, Reed could make a big impact as a freshman. Yet, it is Thompson who seems to be better equipped to manage significant playing time right away. Thompson uses his body extremely well on the offensive side of the floor. And once he backs down his opponent, he can score with either hand. His outside shooting is not too bad either and Thompson has the potential to become a dominating center in the conference before all is said and done.

Who to Watch:

Saint Louis will not have to field an entire team with newcomers. Four players are back, including the team’s top two scorers in Kevin Lisch and Tommie Liddell. Both are excellent scorers and combined to average 26.9 points per game a year ago. On a team that did not score a lot, 26.9 points is a significant percentage of their overall scoring output. Lisch is a good outside shooter and Liddell does most of his damage getting to the basket. Paul Eckerle also returns after averaging 18.1 minutes per game last year as a freshman. He is a decent shooter and could emerge as a solid third scoring option.

Final Projection:

The concern is in the paint where senior Barry Eberhardt is the lone returning player. If the newcomers can fill the void, St. Louis can have a decent year behind their talented guards, but if the newcomers in the frontcourt and Eberhardt cannot handle the load, the Billikens will be in for another long season.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NIT

Projected Starting Five:

Kevin Lisch, Senior, Guard, 14.6 points per game

Paul Eckerle, Sophomore, Guard, 3.8 points per game

Tommie Liddell, Senior, Guard, 12.3 points per game

Barry Eberhardt, Senior, Forward, 6.0 points per game

Brett Thompson, Freshman, Forward, DNP last season

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2008-09 Preview & Awards | Coach Interviews | Discuss the Preview

Saint Louis Basketball Schedule: 2008-09

Press Release — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:00:32 -0400

The Saint Louis University department of athletics today announced its 2008-09 men's basketball schedule. The slate is highlighted by non-conference games against Boston College and Nebraska. This season marks the debut of the Billikens' new home, Chaifetz Arena. The Billikens will face five teams that earned an NCAA Tournament bid in 2008 and play nine games against opponents that qualified for the NIT or the CBI. SLU will play 11 games against teams coming off a 20-win season and 12 contests versus schools ranked in the official NCAA RPI Top 100.

"Once again, we will be playing a challenging schedule as this season's agenda includes six games against teams that were ranked in last season's Top 25," Billikens head coach Rick Majerus said. "On the docket is a total of 14 games against teams involved in postseason play such as Dayton, Kent State, Nebraska, Saint Joseph's, Southern Illinois, Temple and Xavier. It is an ambitious schedule in that we are playing teams from the ACC, Big 12, Big East and the Missouri Valley, and of course the stalwart competition of the Atlantic 10. The A-10 should field at least four NCAA Tournament teams at season's end, not to mention another handful of NIT teams.

"Our freshmen will receive a baptism of fire," Majerus said. "Our success will be dependent upon the maturity with which they approach practices in light of the fact that we play such a rigorous schedule going from places like New York and Rhode Island to Las Vegas. We open the conference schedule with a top-10 team in Xavier, which returns three starters. Teams such as Saint Joseph's and Temple are certainly viable top-10 teams with anticipated first-round NBA draft picks Dionte Christmas and Ahmad Nivins, as well as Xavier's Derrick Brown. We are working diligently to include teams from every major conference, and we welcome the opportunity to play virtually anyone, anywhere."

"The SLU athletic program eagerly anticipates the inaugural season at Chaifetz Arena," director of athletics Chris May said. "Hosting a local institution like UMSL in the first game at Chaifetz will make an already special event even more memorable and uplifting for the St. Louis area. Our goal is to reach out to the entire area and let everyone know Chaifetz Arena is a true community venue. The Billikens are their team. We have outstanding non-conference opponents coming to town in Boston College of the Atlantic Coast Conference as well as NCAA qualifiers Kent State and Maryland-Baltimore County."

The Billikens will host Missouri-St. Louis in the inaugural game at Chaifetz Arena on Friday, Nov. 14. Defending Mid-American Conference champion and NCAA squad Kent State visits on Wednesday, Nov. 19, and Boston College comes to town on Saturday, Nov. 22. The Billikens begin a three-game road swing when they travel to Lincoln, Neb., on Nov. 25, to take on a Cornhuskers team which posted a 20-13 record and earned a spot in the NIT. After Thanksgiving, SLU goes to the Motor City on Nov. 29, to face Detroit.

December 2 sees SLU head to Carbondale, Ill., for a tilt at Southern Illinois, which is coming off an NIT berth. The Billikens play the first of four straight at home on Saturday, Dec. 6, versus Savannah State. After a Dec. 13, home game against Samford, the Billikens host the first two games of the Findlay Toyota Las Vegas Classic on Wednesday, Dec. 17, versus South Carolina-Upstate and on Friday, Dec. 19, against Liberty. SLU then heads to Orleans Arena in Las Vegas to conclude the tournament against DePaul on Dec. 22 and either Creighton or Fresno State on Dec. 23. The Billikens close out 2008 on Tuesday, Dec. 30, with a game against Maryland-Baltimore County, which won the America East Conference with a 24-9 record and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. SLU's final non-conference game is Friday, Jan. 2, 2009, against North Carolina A&T.

The Billikens begin A-10 Conference play on Thursday, Jan. 8, at defending regular-season champion Xavier, one of 10 games against league squads that qualified for postseason play. SLU hosts Massachusetts in the A-10 home opener on Wednesday, Jan. 14. The Billikens will close the regular season at home for the first time since 2004 with a game against La Salle on Saturday, March 7. Atlantic City will host the 2009 A-10 Tournament running March 11-14 at Boardwalk Hall.

Daily Dribble: Wednesday Report Card

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:23:50 -0500

The Report Card

A new series, the Daily Report Card tells you all you need to know about the day in college hoops. From good to bad and bad to worse, I'll be laying down the law.

A - Kentucky

In the first Report Card of the year, the Wildcats were the F.. so I'm enjoying the symmetry of giving them today's top grade. Outside of Patrick Patterson, the rest of the guys on the roster (including Gillispie) have mostly been creamed by the media.. so you have to respect their fight and effort over recent weeks. It's not enough for UK to rest on their laurels.. because they need to pile on the wins quickly. After beating Vandy, they then dropped 2 straight.. but that simply cant happen with South Carolina and Georgia coming up.

B - Wisconsin

Wisconsin fans have noticed over the course of the season that they've been ranked 3-5 spots lower in the CHN Top 50 then in the polls. What can I say, I'm still not sold on the Badgers despite their 6-0 Big Ten record. Not one of the six teams they've beaten will even sniff the NIT, let alone the Big Dance. No doubt this is an NCAA Tournament team, and no doubt Bo Ryan is a coaching genius, but if this is the 11th best team in the country.. then the other 335 teams should be ashamed..

C - Clemson

Not a good sign for Clemson that it took overtime for them to put away an improving, but still blah, Wake Forest team. The win does keep the Tigers in the upper-half of the table.. and sets up a very intriguing game at Miami this Sunday. Like Clemson, Miami rolled in non-conference play but has looked pedestrian in the ACC.

D - Bruce Weber

Even before losing to Ohio State last night, the Illini's season was already kaput. The real issue here though isn't their awful 1-6 Big Ten record, but the bleak reality for the program's future. It's not like this team is built on great young prospects. McCamey is solid but the other major contributors are seniors or juniors.. and help isn't on the way next year either. Illinois has a commitment from 2010 super-prospect Jereme Richmond.. but unfortunately for Weber, he won't be coaching the team then.

F - Saint Louis Archbishop

So apparently Rick Majerus made some comments that he supports abortion and stem-cell research, and Archbishop Burke want's him to be punished. Obviously you could see why SLU, the Catholic university he works for, potentially would take issue with these comments. But here's the deal.. the comments were made outside of a University affiliated event, SLU doesn't particularly care about the comments, and the University has made efforts to distance itself from the archdiocese in recent years. Further, the University is not controlled whatsoever by the Church. Ultimately, the Archbishop needs to pipe down and worry about more important things.. like praying for the Billikens to break 20 points in a half..

Previous Best / Worst

January 22nd - DJ Augustin / Scott Sutton

January 21st - New York Giants / Marquette

January 20th - Maryland / ESPN.com editors

January 18th - Cleveland State / Marquette

January 17th - Drake / HP Laptops

January 14th - Roy Hibbert / Michigan State

January 10th - Tony Bennett / Saint Louis

January 9th - DJ White / CSTV

January 8th - Robert Morris / Schedule Makers

January 7th - Wayne Ellington / Illinois

January 6th - Herb Sendek / Kentucky

Daily Poll: What's the Worst Offensive Performance?

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 12:25:46 -0500

SIU Blows Lead in Saint Louis

Press Release — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 02:27:07 -0500

ST. LOUIS - In a stunning turnaround, Southern Illinois went scoreless in the final four minutes of the game, allowing Saint Louis to turn an eight-point deficit into a five-point victory, 56-51, Saturday at the Scottrade Center.

The Salukis (4-4) seemed to have the game under control when Matt Shaw hit a 3-pointer with 4:17 left in the contest to put Southern ahead, 51-43. Little did SIU know it would not score again, missing its last five shots and turning the ball over four times.

"We stopped attacking them and became passive," lamented Saluki head coach Chris Lowery. "The things that we're known for, execution and finishing things off, we didn't do today."

Meanwhile, the Billikins (7-5) suddenly found the range on offense. Kevin Lisch, who finished with 20 points, hit a 3-pointer and made 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to secure the victory for SLU. The critical bucket, though, was a game-tying 3-pointer by Luke Meyer with 1:26 to go that knotted the game at 51-51.

"They weren't wide open shots," Lowery said of SLU's late rally. "They made tough shots."

After Saint Louis tied the game, Randal Falker had position in the paint on SIU's next possession, but he was whistled for traveling. Lisch was then fouled by Bryan Mullins and made both free throws with 43 seconds left to give Saint Louis the lead.

Southern's next trip up the floor yielded an open 3-point shot for Shaw that rimmed out, and the Salukis were forced to foul Lisch again. Lisch split the pair, giving SIU one more chance to tie the game, but Joshua Bone stepped out of bounds on the wing with 10 seconds remaining.

"Those type of things we normally don't do," Lowery said. "We normally take care of the ball."

Southern could have seized control of the game in the first half, after taking a 23-16 lead with little more than four minutes before halftime. Once again, the Salukis hit a cold spell, and SLU ran off eight unanswered points to take a 24-23 lead to the locker at the break.

"We normally finish halves off," Lowery noted. "It's not about what we've normally done, though. It's about right now with this group. We have to get these guys to play the right way."

Saluki forwards Matt Shaw and Randal Falker combined to make 13-of-19 shots from the field. Southern's four guards, however, struggled offensively, shooting a combined 4-for-26.

"We don't have individual talents at the guard spot like we've had in the past," Lowery said. "They've got to stay within the system for us to be successful."

Lowery said his team will learn from the loss what it needs to do to close out an opponent on the road.

"It's a teaching tool," he said. "It's still a marathon. We have a long season. You have to learn from your mistakes and not do them over."

Freshman guard Brandon Wood did not play for SIU. He will be sidelined for two weeks with a stress fracture in his leg.

Daily Dribble: Top 20 Players in the A-10

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 10:26:14 -0400

One thing is clear from this list.. the talent level in the A-10 is far superior to any other non-BCS league. So much so that I expanded the ranking from the Top 10 to Top 20 just because there were so many guys to consider. 15 to 20 in the A-10 would arguably be top 5 or 6 in the CAA or MVC right now.

1. Brian Roberts, G, Dayton - Flyers best player is the league's most efficient scorer
2. Ahmad Nivins, F, Saint Joseph's - One of the A-10's only powerful inside forces
3. Bryant Dunston, F, Fordham - Numbers dipped last year, but Rams win total continued to rise
4. Drew Lavender, G, Xavier - The A-10's most dynamic point guard
5. Tommie Liddell, G, Saint Louis - With Majerus aboard, could explode as a junior
6. Will Daniels, F, Rhode Island - Underrated senior joins Baron to form dynamic pair
7. Dionte Christmas, G, Temple - 20 ppg scorer must expand his game in junior season
8. CJ Anderson, F, Xavier - Manhattan transfer just adds to Xavier's league-best talent
9. Stanley Burrell, G, Xavier - Senior has been core of lineup for four seasons
10. Pat Calathes, F, Saint Joseph's - Despite height, can step out and hit three or pass the ball
11. Kieron Achara, F/C, Duquesne
12. Jimmy Baron, G, Rhode Island
13. Mark Tyndale, G, Temple
14. Maureece Rice, G, George Washington
15. Gary Forbes, G/F, UMASS
16. Leemire Goldwire, G, Charlotte
17. Marcus Stout, G, Fordham
18. Kojo Mensah, G, Duquesne
19. Kevin Lisch, G, Saint Louis
20. Michael Lee, F, St. Bonaventure

Next In Line

Rob Diggs, F, George Washington
Dan Geriot, F, Richmond
Michael Gerrity, G, Charlotte
Darnell Harris, G, La Salle
Shawn James, F/C, Duquesne

Up next will be the Top 10 in the CAA..

2007-08 Saint Louis Basketball Preview

Joel Welser — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 20:05:39 -0400

Saint Louis Billikens

Overall Rank: #71

Conference Rank: #5 A-10

2006-07: 20-13, 8-8, 7^th (t)

2006-07 postseason: none

Of course the big news at Saint Louis is the coaching change. Gone is Coach Brad Soderberg and in comes coaching and ESPN legend Rick Majerus. That already has the city and the conference buzzing, but the improvement of the team goes well beyond Coach Majerus. Unlike last year, the Billikens actually have some depth to work with and if a few frontcourt questions can be answered, Saint Louis will be a contender in the A-10.

Who’s Out:

Out of necessity, the Billikens started four guards and one big man during the 2006-2007 season. The one big man, Ian Vouyoukas, is gone. The 6-10 Greece native averaged 12.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks during his senior campaign and while the team will not have the quality to replace his production, they do have the quantity to more effectively fill the post. However, Obi Ikeafor and Justin Johnson will not be around to provide the frontcourt depth. Ikeafor transferred after playing in just five games last year and Johnson has run out of eligibility after seeing quality minutes off the bench during his senior season. Seldom used walk-ons Wendell Bryant and Jeff Coffey will also not be suiting up for the blue and white this year.

Who’s In:

Coach Majerus will need the newcomers to provide some depth and it is power forward Barry Eberhardt who will be the most important this year. The 6-7 junior college transfer is a solid scoring threat in the post and can hit the mid-range jumper and even step out beyond the arc. After the coaching staff adds a little more toughness to his game, Eberhardt will be everything the team needs out of a power forward. There is room for the perimeter group to make an impact as freshmen. Wing Marcus Relphorde has good size at 6-7 and his versatility will be an asset sooner than later. Combo guard Paul Eckerle is a quality shooter and Anthony Mitchell will add even more versatility to the backcourt.

Who to Watch:

Tommie Liddell, Kevin Lisch, Luke Meyer and Dwayne Polk all started at least 31 games last year. Liddell and Lisch are the superstars and the lone returning long range threats. Liddell is also an extremely effective rebounder out of the backcourt. While both can run the point, it is likely Lisch will be the guy to run the show for now. Yet, it was Polk who started most of the games last year at the point. While he did do a decent job keeping the turnovers to a minimum, he is not a great scorer and if the team wants the best five players on the floor, Polk will probably not be among them. Luke Meyer played out of position at the four last year and should be moving to his more natural three position. He is not a great shooter, but will get to the basket effectively and he will not have to worry about getting beat on the glass as an undersized 6-5 power forward anymore.

Final Projection:

The depth up front is still not great and Meyer will still see some minutes at the four. Seven-footer Bryce Husak started two games and averaged 2.1 points and 2.0 rebounds last year. The senior has run out of time to make an impact, but he will get every opportunity to start. So will Adam Knollmeyer, who only averaged 4.0 minutes per game in 21 contests as a freshman. The 6-9, 235 pound Linn, Missouri product is the versatile power forward that the Billikens prefer and will do damage on both sides of the floor, both inside and out. Ideally, Husak, Knollmeyer and Eberhardt will handle the bulk of the minutes at the four and five, but thus far none of them have proven they can handle the minutes. With a little luck from the Billiken, the frontcourt will at least be serviceable and that will open up the perimeter to win games for Coach Majerus in his first year at Saint Louis.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NIT

Projected Starting Five:

Kevin Lisch, Sophomore, Guard, 14.9 points per game

Tommie Liddell, Junior, Guard, 15.4 points per game

Luke Meyer, Senior, Guard, 9.5 points per game

Barry Eberhardt, Junior, Forward, DNP last season

Bryce Husak, Senior, Center, 2.1 points per game

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2007-08 Preview | College Basketball Schedule | Discuss the Preview

Former Illinois St Coach Joins SLU Staff

Press Release — Thu, 03 May 2007 03:00:00 -0400

ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis head men’s basketball coach Rick Majerus today announced that Porter Moser will join the Billiken men’s basketball staff as an assistant coach. The former Creighton guard was the head coach at Illinois State from 2003-04 to 2006-07 after a three-year stint as the head coach at Arkansas-Little Rock.

“Because Porter is a great person and wonderful husband with four children of his own, he is tuned in to the mentoring process and is fully capable of being a father figure for recruits,” Majerus said. “As a former student-athlete at Creighton, his life reflects the values of a Jesuit education, and he is accustomed to the special way things are done at a Jesuit institution. Porter coaches like he played – with commitment and passion. He is a great combination of coach and recruiter, so I am thrilled to work alongside him.”

“I am truly excited about moving to Saint Louis and helping build a championship team there,” Moser said. “Rick Majerus is a legend in coaching and is regarded as one of the best basketball minds in the country. It is a great opportunity to work with him and bring championship basketball to SLU.”

Moser led the Redbirds to a 51-67 record over his four seasons, pushing his seven-year career head coaching record to 105-101, and left behind a championship caliber team. Last season, Illinois State boasted the Missouri Valley Conference’s Freshman of the Year in Osiris Eldridge and two other players named to the league’s All-Newcomer team. After the 2003-04 team finished 10-19, Moser guided the program to a 17-13 campaign in his second season at the helm. That 2004-05 club also boasted the MVC Newcomer of the Year in Lorenzo Gordon. After going 9-19 in his third year, Moser brought a talent-laden recruiting class into his final campaign, which yielded a 15-16 record.

At UALR, Moser inherited a team that had gone 4-24 the previous year. He was the architect of the largest turnaround in Sun Belt Conference history by leading the 2000-01 team to an 18-11 mark. Moser took the Trojans from ranking among the Sun Belt’s worst defensive squads to one that led the league in field goal percentage defense and was second in scoring defense. After losing four starters and the top three scorers from that inaugural team, Moser guided the Trojans to an 18-11 record in his second season and an 18-12 mark in 2002-03 before moving to Illinois State.

“Porter is a former head coach at two programs and is a rising star on the college scene,” Majerus said. “He is highly regarded by everyone in the game because of his ability to teach the game and his relentless recruiting. As a result, I expect to give Porter more responsibility than customary for an assistant coach.”

Moser’s coaching career began as a graduate assistant at his alma mater during the 1990-91 season. He spent four seasons as an assistant at Texas A&M before holding the same position at UW-Milwaukee during the 1995-96 campaign. Moser returned to Texas A&M for two more seasons then served as an assistant at UALR under Wimp Sanderson for two years.

At Creighton, Moser was a two-year starter and helped the Bluejays to the 1989 MVC championship. He graduated with a degree in business management in 1990.

Moser and his wife, the former Megan Lewis, have a daughter, Jordan, and three sons, Jake, Ben and Max.

— www.slubillikens.com —