NEWS: Saint Louis’ Robbie Avila has been granted a temporary restraining order allowing him to play college basketball, per multiple reports. The ruling allows SLU to roster Avila, with a preliminary injunction hearing set for Nov. 4.

Phil Martelli Jr. and Justin Gainey had an “honest conversation” about the situation this week. All of the excuses put forth by NC State to not play the game — a first-year coach who didn't schedule the game, playing with a reconstructed roster and a program with an already difficult non-conference slate — applied to VCU last year, Martelli said.  The Wolfpack's victory in that game proved pivotal in earning them an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament. "(Gainey) eventually just said to me ‘I don’t want to have to come there, it’s too tough of a place to play, you guys are too good,'" Martelli said of the conversation. “He’s got to do what’s right for his program, I’ve got to do what’s best for mine. One of the things I’ll always do is I’ll be honest, and that was an honest conversation."