Saint Louis University center Robbie Avila, the reigning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, has been granted a preliminary injunction by Missouri judge Jason Sengheiser, clearing the way for him to play in the Billikens' season opener against rival Missouri on Friday. The ruling allows Avila to return for a fifth year of eligibility, but the College Sports Commission (CSC) has objected, stating that adding a 16th player to Saint Louis' already full 15-man roster would violate the roster limits established by the House v. NCAA settlement.
The CSC released a statement saying it cannot effectuate a state court order that requires violating the explicit terms of a federal injunctive relief settlement. Avila's representation is expected to challenge the CSC's position. According to Sports Illustrated's Kevin Sweeney, there are currently over 50 fifth-year seniors eligible at the high-major level, with 16 deemed ineligible.
Avila, known by nicknames such as "Milk Chamberlain" and "Cream Abdul-Jabbar," averaged 12.8 points per game last season while shooting 41% from three-point range on 4.6 attempts. His presence helped Saint Louis rank second nationally in effective field goal percentage. The Billikens started 24-1, earned an at-large NCAA Tournament bid as a No. 9 seed, and secured their first tournament win since 2014 with a 102-77 victory over Georgia before falling to eventual champion Michigan.
With Avila back, Saint Louis returns four starters and two key rotation players from last year's tournament team. The projected starting lineup includes guards Trey Green, Quentin Jones, Ishan Sharma, Kellen Thames, and forward Robbie Avila. The team also retains three high-volume 40% three-point shooters — Avila, Green, and Sharma — who combined for 233 three-pointers last season.
