For Josh Schertz and No. 18 Saint Louis, offensive efficiency begins with the trouble supplied on the defensive finish.
The Billikens, driving a 17-game profitable streak, will look to stay sharp on protection once they journey to face Loyola Chicago on Friday.
Saint Louis (23-1, 11-0 Atlantic 10) turned up the depth within the second half of a powerful 82-58 house win over La Salle on Saturday. The Ramblers (6-19, 2-10) are coming off an 84-64 defeat at Davidson on Feb. 6.
After a sluggish first half through which they hit simply 3 of 10 3-point makes an attempt and led 31-27, Saint Louis heated up popping out of the locker room. The consequence: The Billikens transformed 10 of 20 shot makes an attempt from 3-point vary within the second half and pulled away.
Sixth man Ishan Sharma continued his sizzling taking pictures streak. He led the Billikens with 15 factors and drained 5 of 9 3-point makes an attempt. Sharma is one among 4 Billikens taking pictures higher than 40.0% from lengthy vary. Quentin Jones and Amari McCottry added 13 factors apiece, and Dion Brown chipped in 12 factors.
Nevertheless, Schertz believes it is the protection that permits the Billikens to get on the run. Saint Louis ranks fourth nationally with 18.67 fastbreak factors per recreation. The Billikens are first within the nation in field-goal-percentage protection at 36.3%. On the opposite finish of the ground, Saint Louis charges third in efficient field-goal share at 61.3%.
All of it provides as much as a workforce chasing down the varsity file 19-game profitable streak set within the 2013-14 season.
“While you play good protection that permits you often to play into transition on offense,” Schertz stated, “since you are getting a cease and a rebound. While you play good offense and rating or take shot, it lets you set your protection. Then your protection is healthier. So it is all the time the complementary phases. It’s totally laborious to be good at offense if you’re unhealthy at protection since you are all the time taking the ball out of the online and going towards a set protection.
“Basketball is probably the most fluid recreation when it comes to how intertwined the 2 sides of the ground are. Once we make our runs, it often begins with stops. Then we get stops and clear rebounds and get out into transition and run.”
5 Billikens common double-figure scoring, led by Robbie Avila at 12.8 factors per recreation. The senior middle additionally leads Saint Louis with 4.3 assists per contest.
“Robbie is so good within the two-man recreation with (Sharma) and Brady (Dunlap),” Schertz stated. “Robbie is so good at unlocking these guys as a result of he’s a tough cowl. And people guys (are threats) with their motion and taking pictures.”
In the meantime, Loyola Chicago has battled accidents all through a forgettable season. Miles Rubin was the one Ramblers participant to attain in double digits towards Davidson, ending with a game-high 17 factors on 8-of-11 taking pictures.
The junior middle additionally pulled down seven rebounds. Miles, a Chicago product, is the Ramblers’ second-leading scorer (11 factors per recreation) and main rebounder (7.6 rpg). Loyola’s main scorer, Justin Moore (11.4 ppg), was held to only 4 factors in 24 minutes at Davidson.
Loyola went 0-9 in January. After it notched its first win of the brand new 12 months towards La Salle, 71-61 on Feb. 3, the Ramblers once more struggled to seek out their means.
“I believe our guys did job from a mentality standpoint of nonetheless doing no matter they might to compete,” Loyola coach Drew Valentine stated following the most recent loss. “These guys strolling into the world right now, they did not suppose they have been going to try this. I commend our guys for doing that. I commend our guys for preventing.”
–Discipline Stage Media
