Saint Louis center Robbie Avila, the reigning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, received a preliminary injunction from Missouri judge Jason Sengheiser allowing him to return for a fifth year of eligibility. The ruling came one day before the Billikens' non-conference game against rival Missouri.
However, the College Sports Commission (CSC) stated it cannot comply because adding a 16th player to Saint Louis' already full 15-man roster would violate the roster limits set by the House v. NCAA injunctive relief settlement. The CSC said Avila may be eligible but there is no roster slot available at Saint Louis.
Avila's representatives are expected to challenge the CSC's position. According to Sports Illustrated's Kevin Sweeney, over 50 fifth-year seniors are eligible at the high-major level, while 16 are not.
Avila, known by nicknames such as "Milk Chamberlain" and "Cream Abdul-Jabbar," averaged 12.8 points and shot 41% from three-point range on 4.6 attempts last season. Saint Louis' offense ranked second nationally in effective field goal percentage, and the team started 24-1, earning an at-large NCAA Tournament bid as a No. 9 seed. They defeated Georgia 102-77 before losing to eventual champion Michigan in the Round of 32, marking the program's first tournament win since 2014.
With Avila, the Billikens return four starters and two key rotation players from that tournament run. Coach Josh Schertz retained his staff despite high-major interest. The projected starting lineup includes guards Trey Green, Quentin Jones, Ishan Sharma, Kellen Thames, and forward Avila. Bench options feature Alon Michaeli, Amari McCottry, Jax Kerr, Cam Hutson, Luke Laczkowski, and Sheek Pearson.
Avila's presence also opens the paint; when he was on the floor, Saint Louis shot 63% at the rim, with 45% of shots coming at the rim due to his gravity and passing. The team retains three high-volume 40% three-point shooters (Avila, Green, Sharma), who combined for 233 three-pointers last season.
