The ongoing process of seeking a turnaround to the season continued in a sullen locker room Wednesday night after ºüÀêÊÓƵ University lost 84-61 to Davidson.
Players and coaches stayed put for more than 30 minutes trying to talk out what they had been unable to fix on the floor at Chaifetz Arena against the lowest-scoring team in Atlantic 10 men's college basketball.
The Billikens are looking for any spark that might give them a boost moving forward, and this week it was what sounded like an airing of grievances or at least some honest talk after they fell to 8-11 overall and 1-5 in conference.
“We said what we had to say. We got things out that have been unspoken,†center Brad Ezewiro said. “Everybody got what they needed to say out, and now we can move forward. ... Everyone told coach how they felt, and we heard what coach had to say. It doesn’t matter if they took it well or not. The way we took it is to come and beat somebody on Saturday.â€
That will be SLU’s next opportunity to gain some bit of momentum against Massachusetts.
Davidson arrived at Chaifetz as the lowest-scoring team in the A-10. That’s exactly the kind of opponent the Billikens needed with their defense floundering this season. The Billikens were up to the task in the first half, but the Wildcats exposed SLU’s holes in the second by scoring 56 points.
Davidson shot 63% in the final 20 minutes to hand SLU its third consecutive loss. Coach Travis Ford continued to voice his frustration with the team’s defense, which held the Wildcats to 28 points in the first half.
“We’re not happy with ourselves. We shouldn’t be,†Ford said. “What can we do defensively to get better? … You see us guard in the first half. It’s not like we can’t do it. They didn’t change their offense at halftime. It’s understanding what it takes to succeed. It’s habit forming, and we don’t have those habits sustained for as long as we need them to give ourselves a chance.â€
Any hope of another SLU comeback was dashed on a play with three minutes left. Davidson missed a shot, but none of three Billikens who surrounded the ball could come up with it. The Wildcats used the offensive rebound to hit a 3-pointer and then started to pile on.
The Billikens missed their first 12 3-pointers until Sincere Parker hit one early in the second half. Ezewiro scored 20 points to lead SLU, and Gibson Jimerson was held scoreless days after the death of his grandfather in Richmond, Va.
Davidson swung the momentum in the first two minutes of the second half when the Wildcats scored the first nine points with the help of a fouled 3-point shooter to overcome a 32-29 deficit.
Parker temporarily got SLU back on track with consecutive 3-pointers after the Billikens went 0-for-12 in the first half. But it would be a long wait for the next SLU field goal.
“We started the second half with turnovers and no defense, and then you’re playing with your back against the wall,†Ford said. “We have to look for answers defensively.â€
A 3-pointer by Angelo Brizzi gave the Wildcats a 10-point lead with 13 minutes left, giving SLU yet another double-digit deficit at home. The Billikens went nearly eight minutes without a field goal and only remained within striking distance with free throws, making eight in a row.
Both teams held the lead in the first half for almost the same amount of time with the Billikens emerging on top 32-29 after four lead changes and three ties.
SLU got through the half without foul trouble, something the Billikens have struggled with of late. Two players had two fouls and most important, Ezewiro had just one before the break.
He had 10 points in 10 minutes to pace SLU’s inside attack, which was crucial to having the halftime lead because the Billikens missed all of their 3s. They were 13 for 18 inside the arc. But the defense and offense were out of sync in the second half.
“We have resilient guys who are going to come out to play every night,†Ezewiro said. “We talked (after the game) about having pride in our game. We have to have more positive plays going in our favor. The beautiful thing is we get to come back Saturday and right our wrongs.â€
Said Ford, “This season is not over yet. We’re not playing well. We’re struggling. You can’t run and hide from it.â€