Regarding their basketball program at this point, ºüÀêÊÓƵ University’s decision-makers and financial influencers need to step back and ask: “What are we even doing?â€
The proud program is deflating. SLU has lost some local relevancy. The Billikens are 8-12 this season — coach Travis Ford’s eighth in Midtown — and 1-6 in Atlantic 10 Conference play. And Ford is the top-paid coach in the conference.
SLU isn’t simply losing games but doing so astoundingly, such as a 101-62 loss at Southern Illinois or, last Wednesday at home, allowing 56 points in the second half to Davidson.
In a forward-thinking era with the transfer portal and name, image and likeness deals, SLU has fallen behind and fallen to the bottom of its conference standings. And Ford, frankly, couldn’t win big or in March when he had some of ºüÀêÊÓƵ’ top recruits.
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The Billikens will likely miss the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time in Ford’s eight seasons. Ford shouldn’t survive this. He’s a good man and smart basketball thinker, but SLU needs a rejuvenation. Heck, Ford probably could benefit from one, too.
As of Monday, SLU was No. 247 in the NCAA NET rankings (out of 362 teams). Even if SLU was, say, No. 147, it would be glaringly low — only five of the 15 A-10 teams are lower than 147th. But the Billikens are 100 spots below that, worst of the A-10 teams and in the same neighborhood of Northeastern, Rice and Abilene Christian.
It’s quite simple. Ask two questions.
What is SLU’s ceiling?
And what is SLU’s ceiling with Ford?
Because with Ford, even though he generally tallies winning seasons, the Billikens are always in that second tier of A-10 teams.
But SLU’s general ceiling is much higher. Athletics director Chris May should dare to dream. Why can’t SLU — in a big-city market with talented recruits and proud alums who still live there — become a Dayton or a Creighton? Dayton leads the A-10, and Creighton, No. 13 in NCAA NET from the Big East Conference, was in the Missouri Valley Conference until 2013 (one of Creighton’s better players, Ryan Kalkbrenner, is from ºüÀêÊÓƵ).
Yes, in college sports, dreaming means means. The Billikens need big money to make big moves. And they’re already spending a lot in some regards, considering Ford’s salary. But SLU should shake it up — and investors should buy in — to try to find the guy who can unlock this program’s potential.
“I love how everybody around the program, even the fans, are so dedicated,†SLU guard Cian Medley said. “The fans deserve better — and we’re here to give them better.â€
But this season has been like the sound of an off-tune sousaphone.
Even some of the wins have been unimpressive, if that’s possible — for instance, SLU only won by one point against Dartmouth, No. 337 in NCAA NET.
Ford will tell you that injuries changed the team’s trajectory. Some coaches preface statements by explaining that they aren’t necessarily making excuses. Ford? The worn-down coach flat-out admitted: “These are all excuses and that’s what they are, but it’s reality. ... In 27 years, I can’t remember to the extent of having this many injuries — really four of our top six were pretty much out of one point.â€
And one of the team’s most talented players, Bradley Ezewiro, didn’t become NCAA eligible until the 12th game.
“It’s been challenge after challenge,†Ford said, “But that’s part of it, absolutely. I’ve been doing this too long not to understand that’s part of the deal.â€
Interestingly, one of Ford’s top players, 24-year-old Gibson Jimerson, is simultaneously climbing the ranks in school scoring history while also having a subpar season. Yes, he averages a team-high 15.3 points per game. But he’s shooting just 39.5%. And against Virginia Commonwealth, he scored just two points. And against Davidson, he didn’t even score a point. Not great from your preseason first-team all-conference guard.
In the most recent game — last Saturday’s home loss to Massachusetts, 84-73 — Ford used 11 players in a game without garbage time. The Billikens don’t have an identity — Ford says they did have one before the early season injuries — and now the coach is just becoming a mad scientist with some of his lineups.
To be fair, if Ford had made a couple more tournaments in previous seasons, this particular season wouldn’t be as dire regarding his fate. And it’s also fair to say that multiple COVID bouts affected the 2020-21 team, which had the talent to make the tourney. But of course, many teams were affected by COVID in 2020-21.
And now, as we approach February of the 2023-2024 season, Ford’s Billikens are in last place in what should be his last year.
“A lot of it’s about a mentality you’ve got to play with to give yourself a chance,†Ford said of his team. “The intensity level. How hard you have to play. ...
“Every year has twists and turns and different things. We’re dealing with 18- to 24-year-olds. That’s the life I’ve lived for a very long time, a very long time. And one thing I found out: It doesn’t always go as you expect it. Sometimes it goes much better. Sometimes it goes about the way you expect it. And sometimes, it’s like, ‘Wow, I didn’t expect this.’ We still believe our best is in us. But it’s going to start with things that aren’t on the stat sheet.â€