The men’s basketball team at the University of Missouri-St. Louis is getting ready to open its season. On Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m., the Tritons will host Blackburn College at the Mark Twain Building for their season opener.
Chris Pilz is the current head coach of the team and is entering his seventh year. His overall record in six seasons is 65-98, but the team has definitely improved and performed better than the record states.
The Current: Why did you come to UM-St. Louis to study?
Chris Pilz: I liked St. Louis city and wanted to be teacher. The education program here is excellent. I also wanted an opportunity to play basketball.
TC: Before coming to UM-St. Louis, you coached high school basketball at Hazelwood Central, Senath-Hornersville and Salem. What is the difference between coaching high school and college?CP: There are a lot of similarities that made the transition easy for me. A major difference is that college players are more developed athletes and the overall speed of the game is quicker. In high school I was a teacher and a coach, but here at college I no longer teach and instead focus on basketball.
TC: You once played basketball for UM-St. Louis and were a great player. You are the third all-time scorer in school history with 1,677 points. Do you think that helps in gaining your player’s trust?
CP: Playing is one thing and coaching is another. If you have studied the game and played it, you have a good grasp of it. Many great basketball coaches were never players. My experience as a player does help me as a coach, but they are still two different things.
TC: Is this year’s team capable of competing for a title?
CP: I think we’ve got our program back to where it’s very competitive. The guys have worked hard during the off-season on a daily basis. I think we are on practice 23 this afternoon. Great team who listens and take advice.
TC: You have publicly stated how the non-conference schedule this year is one of the most challenging since you have been here. How does playing tougher teams help the Tritons?
CP: At this level, everyone is good. We’ve strengthened our schedule, which helps us with recruiting. [There are] no easy games, [we] have got to enjoy every win and respect every opponent. Hopefully the returnees know that you have to have a short memory. Take it one game at a time.
TC: What is your long term goal here at UM-St. Louis?
CP: I take a lot of pride in our university. We want to graduate our players and become as competitive as possible, [and] we are heading in that direction.
TC: Has the recent recruitment been a success?
CP: Yes, at the end of every off season you have to evaluate and solve your weaknesses.
Low post scoring, low post defense, and rebounding were weak for us. Through our last recruiting class we have solved these major issues. We had to get some guys who were hard workers and knew how to practice. We needed players who would come in every day and were coachable.
TC: Do you have anything you would like to say to all the UM-St. Louis basketball fans out there?
CP: We’re just looking forward to the season and invite everyone to come out and watch. The fans will enjoy seeing how our team plays the game and our effort.
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