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Saint Louis University Billiken Basketball
DESCRIPTION: The St. Louis University Billiken Basketball team is a charter member of Conference USA.
AKA: The Bills
SLOGAN: The Next Run
ADDRESS: Offices are at 3672 West Pine Mall, St. Louis, MO 63108. Games are played at the Scottrade Center, 1401 Clark Ave., St. Louis, MO 63103.
LOCATION: St. Louis University is in the Grand Center Entertainment District; The Scottrade Center is downtown.
PHONE: 314-977-3266
WEB SITE: www.slubillikens.com
METROLINK: Take Market Street west to 14th Street, and turn left. Scottrade Center is at the intersection of 14th and Clark which is the next street.
SEASON: November-March
HOURS: Billiken games are played at 7 p.m. weeknights, 1 p.m. on Saturday and at 6 p.m. on Sunday.
ADMISSION: $7-21.
ANNUAL ATTENDANCE: 2002 Season - 9,340
HIGHLIGHTS:
- The Billikens won the Conference USA Championship in March 2000. In the tournament which was played in Memphis, the team defeated Southern Miss; Cincinnati, the top ranked team; Tulane and DePaul for the title.
- The team ranked in the top 20 in average attendance among all NCAA D-a schools.
- The Billikens made the NCAA tournament in 1997 and 1999.
- Some of the Billikens games are played at the Edward Jones Dome at America's Center.
- The Billiken Club is a program which helps St. Louis University meet the challenges of running an intercollegiate athletics program. Some 1,000 friends of the University have joined to provide scholarship support for the school's athletic teams. The club holds a number of members-only events during the year.
ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS: The Billikens sponsor a sporting geography program for children which is run through local schools. In the program, children learn geography by studying about the places St. Louis University's men's and women's basketball teams play.
ANNUAL SPECIAL EVENTS: The Billikens hold a hall of fame dinner and ceremony at the end of January each year.
HISTORY: The first Billiken team was formed for the 1915-16 season. The team joined Missouri Valley Conference in 1937 and Conference USA in 1995.
The Billiken was designed and manufactured as a bank statuette around the time of the 1904 World's Fair. By 1912, it became valued as a good luck charm and was adopted as a symbol of St. Louis University's sports teams.
HANDICAPPED ACCESS: Scottrade Center is handicapped accessible.
WHERE TO GET LUNCH: There are nearly 40 concession stands and push carts throughout the plaza and mezzanine levels of Scottrade Center featuring traditional sporting event fare and Mexican and Italian foods. The Brew House features specialty beers.
GIFT SHOP: The Billikens Fan Store sells apparel, giftware, balls, glasses, cups, children's wear and golf accessories on line through the team's web site.
WHAT'S NEARBY: The Grand Center Arts District with the Fox Theatre, Powell Symphony Hall, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, Portfolio Gallery, the Sheldon Theatre and the Edison Gallery is near St. Louis University. The Gateway Arch, Laclede's Landing, the Old Cathedral and the Old Courthouse are near the Scottrade Center.
PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT: Doug McIlhagga, 314-977-2524, mcilhad2@slu.edu
Readers should call 1-800-916-0040 to request a free copy of the Official St. Louis Visitor Guide or point, click and explore St. Louis at www.explorestlouis.com
