By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS (AP) --  The longer Rick Majerus coaches at Saint Louis,
the younger his teams seem to get.

In 22 seasons, the 61-year-old Majerus has never had a losing
record. He may need a lot of overachieving to keep that streak
alive given the kiddie corps he's guiding this year.

There'll be no shortage of teaching points given a roster that
has zero upperclassmen after junior guard Paul Eckerle was lost
for the season with a knee injury. Four sophomores serve as the
so-called veterans on a team that features six freshmen - one of
them a redshirt.

It's little wonder the Billikens have been picked to finish 12th
in the 14-team Atlantic-10 Conference by coaches and media.

Players have noticed practices grinding to a halt a lot more
often this season than last, when Majerus began with seven
freshmen but was able to lean on three seniors for leadership.

"There's been a lot more stop and go," forward Brian Conklin
said. "We're young, but we'll get it."

Majerus used the word "daunting" twice and threw in one
"disgusting" reference for good measure after watching his young
players struggle until the second half to put away the opening
exhibition against Arkansas-Fort Smith, a former junior college
entering its first season in Division II.

He's never had a team with no juniors and seniors - "very few
coaches do," Majerus said - and his total of 11 underclassmen
scholarship players is tied with Florida Atlantic and Liberty
for the most in the country

"We are the youngest team in America, and that's not the place
you want to be," Majerus added.

Just barely enough players, too, with top Australian recruit
Cody Ellis not yet cleared by the NCAA. There was one walk-on
candidate "and guess what, he made it," the coach said.

So those dreams of elevating Saint Louis to the Top 25 remain on
hold. Majerus' .722 career winning percentage (456-176) is tied
for 13th-best among active coaches. But in his first two seasons
with Saint Louis, he's a pedestrian 34-29.

"I don't even think about that, I'm worried about fielding a
team," Majerus said. "Believe me, I'm lucky I've got assistant
coaches who can play in practice."

Saint Louis was freshmen-heavy last season because none of the
members of his hastily assembled first recruiting class, after
Majerus was hired April 30, 2007, were good enough to stick.
Seniors Kevin Lisch and Tommie Liddell III were the mainstays of
a team that went 18-14 with a weak schedule outside the
Atlantic-10.

This season the pre-conference schedule has been upgraded with
Georgia, Iowa State, Nebraska and either Notre Dame or
Northwestern in the Chicago Invitational Challenge later this
month, along with Missouri Valley threats Southern Illinois and
Missouri State.

"It's much tougher than what we'd want to have, given the
circumstances of who we have," Majerus said. "But it'll make us
better. It isn't just about this year or this game."

Majerus has talent, it's just raw.

"We've got a lot to work on," 6-foot-9 sophomore forward Willie
Reed said.

Of the sophomores, point guard Kwamain Mitchell averaged 14.1
points in conference play and was named to the A-10 all-rookie
team, and Reed was a perfect 7 for 7 with 18 points against
Maryland-Baltimore County. Conklin started 29 games, had 18
points against Nebraska and a trio of nine-rebound games. Guard
Kyle Cassity had a nearly 3-to-1 assist to turnover ratio.

Top freshmen include guard Jeff Reid, Kansas' Mr. Basketball;
guard Christian Salecich, who played on the Australian Under-19
national team at the world championships in New Zealand last
summer; and guard Justin Jordan, the second-leading scorer in
Indiana with a 27.7-point average.

Majerus plans to add two top recruits during the early signing
period from Nov. 11-18. Next year, maybe he'll even be able to
redshirt them.

"I'm not complaining, I'm just trying to work my way through
this," Majerus said. "We're caught in a bad situation, but I
know this: We can improve every day."