2 best Robbie Avila transfer portal destinations after leaving Indiana State basketball (2024)

One of the most beloved characters and stories of the 2023-24 college basketball season was the breakout of Indiana State center Robbie Avila. The Sycamores were unfortunately snubbed from the NCAA Tournament despite their best season since Larry Bird was donning their uniform. Avila was one of the primary catalysts behind their 32-7 season, which ended with a loss in the NIT Championship Game.

Robbie Avila went off for a huge game against Evansville. He finished with

35 Points
8 Rebounds
5 Assists
1 Steal
58% FG

Indiana State also got the win pic.twitter.com/CmIZ9bY2Ye

— KJ (@KJ__Hoops) February 29, 2024

Indiana State unfortunately didn't have the chance to make a run in the NCAA Tournament. However, Avila's play made him a breakout star and household name. He averaged 17.4 points per game to go with 6.6 rebounds and a robust 4.1-1.8 assist-to-turnover ratio. After the Sycamores' head coach left the program, Avila entered the transfer portal. He is sure to garner a ton of interest after his play this season. Avila seems like a great fit for two particular programs. Those would be Saint Louis and Purdue.

Saint Louis Billikens

Why does Saint Louis make the most sense for Robbie Avila? Remember how his former head coach left Indiana State earlier? Well, that coach was recently named the main man in charge of the Saint Louis Billikens.

OFFICIAL: Josh Schertz is a Saint Louis Billiken.

We are thrilled to announce Josh Schertz as the next Head Coach of our program.#SLUBillikens pic.twitter.com/qLDXHSenjq

— Saint Louis Men's Basketball (@SaintLouisMBB) April 6, 2024

Josh Schertz did a remarkable job at Indiana State and will surely do the same at Saint Louis. He also won a ton of games at Division II school Lincoln Memorial. In 13 seasons there, he finished with a record of 337-69 and a winning percentage of 83%. He made three Division II Final Fours and even appeared in a National Championship Game in 2016.

The winning f0llowed him to Indiana State. His first season was nothing to write home about, but after that 11-20 campaign, he flipped the script. Schertz won 23 games last season with the Sycamores and 32 games this year. All he does is win. After his first two collegiate stops, Schertz has a career winning percentage of 70.7%. It was a great hire by Saint Louis University. Hopefully, he can take advantage of the basketball hotbed that is Saint Louis, and nearby Chicago, better than coaches who have come through there recently.

Schertz is a proven winner, but Saint Louis hasn't done much of that lately. After three consecutive seasons making the NCAA Tournament from 2012 through 2014, the Billikens have made the Big Dance just once since then. They also just finished this previous season with a paltry 13-20 record. Luckily, Saint Louis has the transfer portal to satisfy that need. Schertz got the best out of Avila at Indiana State. Whose to say they can't replicate that magic in Saint Louis?

Purdue Boilermakers

West Lafayette is not a lengthy drive from Terra Haute and Indiana State's campus. Robbie Avila was great at one school located in Indiana, so why not be great at another school in the state. Purdue has always had success with skilled big men over the years. Players like Caleb Swanigan, Trevion Williams, and Zach Edey have all helped the Boilermakers make runs in the tournament. Head coach Matt Painter knows how to use these talented big men effectively.

He's going to need to find a new one. Zach Edey is likely going to bolt to the NBA after carrying Purdue to the National Title Game this season. The Boilermakers have confidence that Trey Kaufman-Renn can be the next skilled big in line, but Avila could play with him too. Avila is a great passer and can stretch the floor based on his career 39.4% mark from distance.

If anybody not named Josh Schertz can get the most out of Avila in his new digs, it would be Painter. The fit is there. Avila could make the 2-hour drive to West Lafayette and be the next great Boilermaker big in line for a deep tournament run if he wants that.