Who Is Robbie Avila? Meet Saint Louis Center That Is March Madness Sensation

Robbie Avila stole the hearts of the men's college basketball world when he led Indiana State to a magical yet viral run in the NIT two years ago.

He garnered the nicknames of "Cream Abdul Jabbar" and "The College Jokic" as he stuffed the box score with his 6-foot-10, 240-pound frame for the Sycamores.

It's a run that saw him follow Josh Schertz to the Atlantic 10 and Saint Louis, where his second season with the Billikens has sort of been an "under the radar" one, just like that Indiana State 2023-24 season was operating until he became a viral sensation.

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The Billikens center's numbers are down a bit from last season, but he remains a key focal point of the roster as he helped Saint Louis to its first Atlantic 10 regular season title since 2014. He finished with 12 points in Saint Louis' dominant first-round win over No. 8 Georgia on Thursday, along with five rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and a steal.

"He’s the most team guy that we have," Saint Louis guard Trey Gray said of Avila after the Georgia win. "He leads us. He could’ve gone anywhere in the country, and he came here for a reason. He came back for this."

Saint Louis will look to to extends its stay in March Madness with win on Saturday at 12:15 p.m. ET against No. 1 Michigan in Buffalo, New York.

Here's everything to know about Avila ahead of Saint Louis' second round game:

Robbie Avila stats

Here's a breakdown of Avila's stats this season at St. Louis:

• 2025-26: 12.9 points per game, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists with a 50.6% field goal shooting percentage

Here's a game-by-game breakdown of Avila's stats in the Atlantic 10 tournament:

• Game 1 vs. George Washington (Quarterfinals): 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting with four assists, three rebounds and two blocks
• Game 2 vs. Dayton (Semifinals): 14 points on 3-of-11 shooting with nine rebounds and four assists

Here's a breakdown of Avila's stats in March Madness:

• Game 1 vs. Georgia (First Round): 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting with five rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal

How tall is Robbie Avila?

Robbie Avila is listed at 6-foot-10 on Saint Louis' official roster.

How old is Robbie Avila?

Robbie Avila is 22 years old. He'll turn 23 on September 10, 2026.

Robbie Avila transfer: How did he end up at Saint Louis?

Robbie Avila followed Saint Louis coach Josh Schertz from Indiana State following the Cyclones' run to the NIT championship game in the 2023-24 season.

The 6-foot-10 center entered the transfer portal with a "no contact tag," which is put on a player's profile when they already know where they are committing to, and after Schertz turned down a record contract extension from the Sycamores, according to the Indianapolis Star, part of the USA TODAY Network.

"I will be going there to play under Josh Schertz again," Avila said of his commitment to Saint Louis on "The Field of 68" in April 2024. "I trusted his path for me the last two years and trust what he has planned for me these next few years. I'm excited to get over there and do the same thing we did at Indiana State, win some games."

Robbie Avila nicknames

Robbie Avila, who wears Rec-Spec style sports goggles, is known mainly by two nicknames: "The College Jokic" and "Cream Abdul Jabbar." There's also "Larry Nerd," though Avila has said over the years that this one isn't his favorite. All of his nicknames date back to his sophomore season at Saint Louis in 2023-24.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Robbie Avila? Former Indiana State star leads SLU to March Madness