SLU's improved play 'equally as rewarding' for Josh Schertz as last season's success at Indiana State

Billikens will face Dayton on Friday night at sold out Chaifetz Arena

Many things have transpired in the Atlantic 10 since the start of conference play that didn’t appear to be in the cards at the time.

George Mason didn’t figure to be alone in first place at this point. Dayton didn’t figure to have four losses in its first eight games.

And Saint Louis University didn’t look like a team that would be in the championship race with a defense ranked No. 1 in league games.