Javon Pickett Matches Career High in Billiken Win

Javon Pickett matched a career best with a game-high-tying 23 points, Yuri Collins notched his second double-double of the season, and Saint Louis withstood Southern Illinois’ second-half rally to post an 85-72 victory Saturday afternoon at Chaifetz Arena.

Gibson Jimerson tallied 15 points and Fred Thatch Jr. netted a season-high 13 points for the Billikens, who improved to 7-2. Collins turned in a 13-point, 14-assist performance, his fifth double-digit assist game of the season and third in the last four contests.Pickett was 8-of-10 from the field to power Saint Louis to a season-best 57.9 percent. He also pulled down a game-high six rebounds as the Billikens earned a 32-18 advantage on the glass, including a 10-3 edge in offensive rebounds. Francis Okoro and Jake Forrester grabbed five boards apiece.

The Bills shot 82.4 percent (14-of-17) from the foul line, their sixth mark of 82 percent or better in nine outings this season.

Saint Louis led 46-38 at intermission and stretched the margin to 13 points, 53-40, as Jimerson scored the Billikens’ first seven points of the second half.

After SIU (5-3) used a 7-0 spurt to narrow the gap to 53-47, Forrester’s dunk and two Collins free throws restored the lead to double digits, 57-47, with 12:49 remaining.

The Salukis assembled a 9-1 run, capped by one of Xavier Johnson’s six 3-pointers, to make it a 58-56 game at the midway point of the half. The Billikens answered with three-point plays by Collins and Thatch on consecutive possessions for a 64-56 advantage with 8:59 remaining.

A bucket by Pickett at the 6:28 mark gave SLU a 69-58 cushion, and Southern Illinois drew no closer than nine points the rest of the way. The Billikens led by as many as 16 before settling for a 13-point victory margin.

The Salukis held a pair of early three-point leads before the Billikens exploded for a 20-2 scoring outburst to take a 27-12 lead. Jimerson buried two of his three 3-pointers and Thatch also tossed in six points to spark the run.

SIU hung around with deadly 3-point shooting, recording five of its seven first-half treys over the last 9:26 of the half to make it an eight-point game at the break.

Up next for the Billikens is a trip to New Rochelle, N.Y., to take on Iona Tuesday, Dec. 6. SLU is back at Chaifetz Arena to host Boise State Saturday, Dec. 10, at 7 p.m.