After only mustering 51 against Davidson the Bills were looking for something, anything, that could spark an offense that could be described as inconsistent at best, atrocious at worst. They were facing a Richmond team sporting a 3-11 record, a team SLU has to beat.
The bad news, the first half was more of the same. Seven turnovers, 9-29 shooting, 27 total points. The absence of Jordan Goodwin after tweaking an ankle with about 15 minutes left in the half slowed down already glacial offense. Here we go again.
The second half started ugly with a side of, well, more ugly. The defense as usual was intense. Trapping, non-stop pressure, attack, attack, attack. The kind of defense that can keep this team in any game, with anyone. But again, it was paired with an offense that can hand the Billikens a loss versus anyone. What would break the damn, topple the levee?
Then he came, from the depths of a shallow bench, DJ Foreman. Non-stop energy, effort, pure intensity. Foreman led the charge that brought the bills back to life like defibrillator paddles on every episode of ER. Along with French, Foreman and the rest of SLU owned the offensive glass, snatching 16 in all. Foreman finished with 16 points on 7-9 shooting, and brought the mild crowd to life time and time again.
In the post-game presser Foreman said he has to “always stay ready and practice hard…have confidence and play through my mistakes.” After the intensity was lacking and Coach Ford got a suspect tech, Foreman said the team knew that “Coach can't want it more than us.” Foreman almost let up late in the second half, but the Senior Roby got to him. After Foreman was tagged with his fourth foul he was going to play off a little, but Roby “told me to keep playing and play through it…he said, “We NEED you.”” That's senior leadership.
Coach Ford echoed this sentiment, “We need him…I need to gain trust in” him. Ford asked his assistants to keep him accountable after he dedicated himself to play Foreman earlier and more often, and it worked to the benefit of the entire squad.
Main Takeaways
Javon Bess went straight Scottie Pippen tonight
8 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. When the shots aren't falling, that's how you affect a game in every aspect. Coach Ford stated, “He's a warrior, we know what we are going to get from him.” Coach Ford loved the stat line because of the 1-10 shooting night for the man whose teammates affectionately call JB. Coach Ford loved it because SLU is going to have to win ugly. And an Ugly win looks like a beauty in the standings
The refs will not be getting a free soda from the fans in attendance
After tech-ing up Ford the ref that was the main antagonist then stared at Ford the entire next possession while play was going on. I'm pretty sure that's not text book. This ref was responsible for some calls that would make even the biggest Richmond homer say, “whew…I don't know about that one.”
Another ref, had eyes like Bill Duke and was a retired Colonel. I mean, you need to keep adding the resume after making Colonel? If there is one official in the nation whose skin no fan can get under…The Colonel suffers no fools.
Terence Stansbury's son plays for Richmond
The Statue of Liberty dunk! I had a VHS with Stansbury in the '87 Dunk Contest that I wore out when I was a kid. YouTube it now, your basketball life will be the better for it. His kid, Solly, goes 6'7” and is getting some clock as a frosh, but, alas, no 360 throw downs tonight.
One of the SLU trombone players…
I'm pretty sure he was Tony Romo. Seriously…and another could have been 37 years old.
In all, it was another up in a roller coaster season for SLU. Back to .500 at 8-8 heading into Tuesday's tilt at the Jewel of Midtown versus the A-10 leading Rhode Island Rams. This will be yet another test that the Billikens will have to grind, sweat, and get ugly during in order to rack up another W. The good news, neither Cuttino Mobely nor Lamar Odom have any eligibility left.
We have to wait, Aimee Mann style, till Tuesday to see if the Billikens of St. Louis University will move forward and become a factor in the A-10.
Until then, long live the ugly win.
Follow Will on Twitter @Will_KSDK
