It's not lucky when the Billikens win 19 straight; they're just that good
ST. LOUIS -- Their leading scorer spent the night in foul trouble and finished with only four points. Their best player missed two drives down the stretch that he hasn't been missing all season. They were badly out-rebounded for half the game. And they had another lousy night shooting free throws.
Yet the 10th-ranked Saint Louis Billikens won another close game Saturday night, 66-59 over the feisty George Washington Colonials at Chaifetz Arena. That makes four straight victories that have been decided in the final minute or in overtime.
You could say the Billikens have been lucky to keep pulling out close victories in the tough Atlantic 10 Conference.
But that would be wrong. They're just that good. They play defense, they're experienced with five senior starters and they have Jordair Jett, the best player in the conference.
Far more than good luck, those three factors have been largely responsible for the Billikens (25-2) winning 19 straight games and running out to a 12-0 record in the Atlantic 10. The Billikens can clinch their second straight conference title with a victory over Duquesne at home Thursday night.
"What our kids have done is really remarkable," SLU coach Jim Crews said. "Our league is very, very deep. It's very, very good."
