Saint Louis basketball was one of the best stories of the first two days of the 2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament.
After earning a No. 9 seed in March Madness, the Billikens not only won their first tournament game since 2014, but also did it in style. Saint Louis led No. 8 Georgia wire-to-wire in a 102-77 drubbing, leading by as many as 40 points at one time.
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First round winners, losers: Key March Madness wins for Nebraska and Kentucky
Now, the Billikens are tasked with taking on No. 1 Michigan at 12:15 p.m. ET Saturday, March 21, from the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, with a chance to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1957.
But that may still leave college basketball fans unfamiliar with the program asking, “What exactly is a Billiken?” Here’s the history of Saint Louis’ nickname for its athletic programs ahead of the second round matchup with Michigan in the NCAA Tournament:
What is a Billiken?
Saint Louis Billikens mascot The Billiken performs during the second half of a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Georgia Bulldogs at Keybank Center.
According to the Saint Louis University website, the Billiken was a national sensation in the 1900s. The mythical creature was used as the face of items produced, such as dolls, marshmallow candies, belt buckles, and other items.
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The Billiken represents “things as they ought to be.” According to legends, “To buy a Billiken gives the purchaser luck, but to have one given to you is better luck.”
Florence Pretz — a Missouri art teacher and illustrator — is credited with the creation of the figure. In 1908, she patented her “design for an image” of the Billiken while working at Kansas City’s Manual Training School.
The belief is that Pretz found the name in a Bliss Carman poem and bestowed it upon her creation.
“I concluded if there is a chance that we shape our own lives, and my clay was mine to fashion as I would, I might as well make an image, which embodied hope and happiness to sort of live up to,” Pretz said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
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Why is Saint Louis named the Billikens?
The school website is unsure of when the Billiken first became associated with the university. However, the mascot brings a sense of community to campus.
“Saint Louis University’s unique mascot brings more than team spirit. The Billiken is a mythical figure representing “things as they ought to be” — on campus and wherever he’s found.
According to one story, John Bender — a law student and the coach of the 1910 football team — resembled the good-luck symbol. Legend has it that a cartoonist drew a caricature of Bender and placed it in the window of the local drugstore.
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After that, the team became known as the “Bender’s Billikens.” The rest is legend.
Of course, that’s not the only origin story. Another version of the story says that local drugstore owner Billy Gunn was the one who linked the Billiken to SLU. According to a 1946 obituary, “Coach Bender walked into Mr. Gunn’s drugstore one afternoon and was greeted by the proprietor with: ‘Bender, you’re a real Billiken!’
St. Louis Post-Dispatch sportswriter William O’Connor was present when this exchange happened and first used “Billiken” in print when talking about the football team. Eventually, the nickname spread to all the athletic teams.
Other uses of the Billiken in popular culture
While Saint Louis is the only school to use the Billiken as a mascot, it can still be found in different places. Eskimos in Alaska render Billiken carvings as good luck charms, while a wooden statue of a Billiken sits in Tsutenkaku Tower for visitors to rub its feet for good luck.
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In Chicago’s South Side, the school year starts with the annual Bud Billiken Parade.
Saint Louis’ mascot?
The mascot for Saint Louis athletics is simply known as “The Billiken.” It has taken on the form of the mythical figure created by Pretz, while donning a blue shirt with the SLU initials on it.
Outside of the university’s basketball arena — Chaifetz Arena — sits the “Golden Billiken,” where fans entering the game, or students preparing for final exams, rub its belly for good luck.
Fans will surely be rubbing its belly ahead of the game on Saturday against Michigan.
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On the bench: Robert Guillaume (actor, “Sports Night”)
Director of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise, Gunn also wrote and directed the 2025 version of “Superman”… The one-armed man in “The Fugitive”, Katsulas was also known for his role in sci-fi shows “Babylon 5” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation”… Ed Harris portrayed Kranz in “Apollo 13”, which told the story of how Kranz led Misson Control’s efforts to return the crew home safely after a failed mission. He also led the Apollo 11 mission, the first lunar landing with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.,, A comic book writer and editor, O’Neil is known for his work with Green Lantern and Batman. O’Neil’s version of Batman was darker and the inspiration for Christopher Nolan’s version in his Batman films… McBride was a two-time All-American soccer player at SLU and played 96 times for the U.S. national team, including at three World Cups, and scored 30 goals for USMNT.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is a Billiken? Explaining origin for Saint Louis basketball nickname
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