Robbie Avila will make his NCAA Tournament debut Friday, March 19 at 9: 45 p. m. ET for Saint Louis against Georgia in a Midwest Region first-round game. The 6-foot-10, 240-pound center followed coach Josh Schertz from Indiana State and arrives as a cult favorite known for his black-rimmed goggles and playmaking. Saint Louis leans on a deep, balanced roster and Avila’s veteran presence as it looks to advance out of the opening round.
Game snapshot and key facts
The matchup pits ninth-seeded Saint Louis against No. 8 Georgia in one of the tournament’s high-scoring pairings. Avila’s statistical profile has shifted this season: he averages 12. 9 points and 4. 5 rebounds for Saint Louis, down from 17. 4 points and 6. 6 rebounds in his final year at Indiana State. Saint Louis features one of the deepest rotations in the country with seven players averaging at least nine points per game, which Schertz says explains the dip in Avila’s raw numbers.
Avila’s recent history is central to the storyline. Two seasons ago he led Indiana State to a 32-7 season that captured national attention but fell short of an NCAA bid, then lost the Missouri Valley Conference title game and later the NIT final by two points. After that run, Avila followed Schertz to the Atlantic 10 and helped lift Saint Louis into the tournament field.
Immediate reactions from coaches and player
Josh Schertz, Saint Louis head coach, highlighted Avila’s impact on and off the court: “Everything he sacrificed, he sacrificed money, sacrificed playing time. He sets an unbelievable tenor for our whole program. His sense of humor, his humility, his team orientation, the kind of competitor he is, the way he cares about people. His compassion. “
Georgia head coach Mike White framed the scouting view: “He’s a guy that the more you study him on film, the more you appreciate his instincts and his quick-thinking ability. He’s got an innate ability to draw fouls. He shoots it really well from 3 at pretty high volume. Shoots it like a guard. But in my opinion, I think what really separates him as at 6-10, 240 is his ability to pass the basketball and makes everybody around him better. “
When asked about the many nicknames that have followed him, Avila embraced the humor: “I think that’s the most creative nickname I’ve ever heard. It’s hilarious, I love it, ” referring to “Cream Abdul-Jabbar. “
Quick context
Nicknames have trailed Avila from his Indiana State days—”Larry Nerd, ” “Larry Blurred, ” “Milk Chamberlain, ” “SLU Alcindor” and the fan-favorite “Cream Abdul-Jabbar. ” He became a cult hero for leading a high-profile Sycamores season before following Schertz to Saint Louis.
What’s next
All eyes will be on the March 19 matchup at 9: 45 p. m. ET to see how Avila’s combination of size, shooting and passing translates to his first NCAA Tournament game. Expect immediate lineup notes, rotation decisions and postgame comments from both coaching staffs that will shape Saint Louis’ path — and Robbie Avila’s March story — as the bracket tightens.
