Michigan and Saint Louis will duel in a battle of analytical darlings on Saturday afternoon (12:10 p.m., CBS) in Buffalo with a trip to the Sweet Sixteen on the line. Dusty May and Saint Louis coach Josh Schertz are good friends who reportedly love talking basketball for hours into the night. Their teams have several analytical parallels and play a style that would draw crowds to coaching clinics.
Saint Louis started the year 24-1 and looked like it might push for a protected seed in Schertz’s second year in charge. Things went south over the last month, with a 4-4 close to the regular season in part due to some injury issues, but the Billikens bounced back in a big way against Georgia on Thursday night, running them off the floor in a 23-0 run that turned an 8-9 game into a laugher.
Georgia was the first high-major team that Saint Louis beat all season, but momentum changes quickly in March. Winning that game in that fashion is enough to make pundits believe that the Billikens are more than an Atlantic 10 bully. More importantly, enough to make those in the locker room believe they have a chance against the No. 1 seed.
The Billikens are one of the more fun teams to preview in the sport thanks to their unique style and outlier-laced KenPom and Synergy pages, and we’ll get into all of that below. One of the hardest things to explain about this team is their role definition, manipulation, and inversion.
Saint Louis players all fill the same roles as a normal team, but it isn’t in the typical positional size or build archetype. The best on-ball playmakers are the best rebounders, shot blockers and defenders. The best shooters in the starting lineup are the biggest and smallest players on the floor. The best cutter and finisher is 6-foot-3. It’s subtle, but it feels like the superpower of this team that has helped it to 29-3.
The Billikens
Saint Louis’ offensive scheme is rooted in many Dusty May truths. The Billikens aren’t running the same offense, and the personnel is very different, but the North Star guiding principles of what SLU does align with May’s basketball vision that Michigan fans have become accustomed to over the last two years.
It’s a scheme that starts with the relationship between 3-point shooting and scoring at the rim. The idea is that you take a lot of threes and play fast, not just to make threes, but to create the best shots in basketball: assisted shots around the rim.
Saint Louis does that as well as anyone in the country, which is why it is ranked 2nd in eFG%, 4th in offensive possession length, and 11th in 2-point accuracy. Michigan ranks 7th, 13th, and 2nd in the same three stats — for those keeping track at home.
Like Michigan, the Billikens are more of a flow offense that’s based on simple actions, rules for cutting and moving, and a nuanced understanding of how to play off of your teammates. You’ll hear the same kind of buzz words — offense “like jazz”, triggers, flow, organized randomness — that you’ll hear about Michigan’s scheme when smart people describe SLU’s offensive system.
Don’t expect the Billikens to walk the ball up the floor, look to the sideline, and call out some intricate set. This is a modern approach to basketball that will look familiar to those who enjoy Michigan’s style.
Not a Member? Get UM Hoops+ for 50% Off
For this week only, you can get a year of UM Hoops+ for half off, just $50. Unlock access to all of our UM Hoops content, and new UM Hoops+ features like Film Room, Report Card, Live Four Factors Charts and much more.
Join the UM Hoops Community
Join the only community dedicated to Michigan basketball
Get ad-free articles, recruiting, advanced stats, member-only discussion, and the most complete Michigan hoops analysis anywhere.
Already a member? Log In
