March Madness Mascot Invokes Bills Mafia Before NCAA Tournament Win

The Saint Louis Billiken took part in a Bills fan tradition before laying waste to Georgia to begin March Madness.

The Saint Louis Billikens mascot gets a ride from the students before the game against the Dayton Flyers at the Chaifetz Arena. | Scott Rovak-Imagn Images

March Madness has made its way to Buffalo, and one team that’s been slated to compete in the Queen City has invoked Bills Mafia by partaking in one of the fan base’s most unique traditions.

Before its blowout win over eight-seed Georgia on Thursday, the nine-seed Saint Louis Billikens’ mascot jumped through a table, calling upon the Bills’ passionate fans while setting the stage for the destruction set forth by its basketball team in the Round of 64.

Fan reaction

Fans chanted “Lets go Buffalo!’ as Bills Mafia member Seth McDonald, 14, leaps to a folding table as fans watch before an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

”BILLS MAFIA! #RollBills #BillsMafia,” read the caption of Saint Louis’s video posted to the team’s X account.

The video has since gone viral among Bills fans.

“How do I become an honorary member this weekend and get a hockey jersey the band is reppin?” commented one fan.

BILLS MAFIA ❗️ #RollBills #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/rBDIFKjUpu

— Saint Louis Men's Basketball (@SaintLouisMBB) March 19, 2026

Another posted, “Now this is how you do it!!! Let’s go Saint Louis!”

“We’re talking Billikens proud,” wrote another.

The table-jump proved to be good luck for Saint Louis, which set program records for points scored (102), field goals made (42) and margin of victory in an NCAA Tournament game (+25). With Buffalo’s faithful fan base on their side, the Billikens are hoping to forge full steam ahead into a daunting second-round contest, which is scheduled for Saturday at KeyBank Center.

Game results

Saint Louis Billikens guard Dion Brown (13) dunks the ball against the Georgia Bulldogs during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The Billikens laid waste to the Bulldogs by a final score of 102-77, using a game-high 18 points from senior guard Dion Brown to power past their first-round opponent. Amari McCottry added 13 points, while Robbie Avila and Ishan Sharma chipped in 12 points apiece for Saint Louis.

With the win, the Billikens advanced to the Round of 32, where they will take on the Midwest Region’s top seed, the Michigan Wolverines, on Saturday at 12:10 p.m. Michigan rolled past Howard 101-80 in their first-round matchup.

The Wolverines were powered by Morez Johnson Jr., who finished with a game-high 21 points on 100% shooting from the field. He also added 10 rebounds, while Aday Mara scored 19 points and Nimbi Burnett poured in 15, including shooting 3 of 4 from 3-point range.

Tough challenge

Michigan center Aday Mara (15) high-fives fans after 101-80 win over Howard at the NCAA Tournament First Round at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Thursday, March 19, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Big Ten powerhouse is a tall task for Saint Louis, a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, which hasn’t faced an opponent of Michigan’s caliber this season. The Billikens best wins of the year were over fellow A-10 member, VCU, twice, as they defeated the Rams 71-62, followed by an 88-75 victory later in the season. VCU, an 11 seed, also won its first tournament game, an 82-78 over No. 6 North Carolina, on Thursday.

With that said, with Bills Mafia on their side, anything is possible for Saint Louis.