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Four Billikens scored in double figures and Saint Louis shot 52.8 percent from the field in a 74-70 Atlantic 10 Conference victory over the Davidson Wildcats Friday night at Belk Arena.
It was the sixth win in a row for the Billikens (15-6, 7-1 A-10), who remain tied for first in the Atlantic 10 with VCU. It also was the Billikens’ first win at Belk Arena in five tries. Davidson fell to 10-11 overall and 3-6 in the league.
Yuri Collins, the NCAA leader in assists, posted his sixth double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 assists. He was a perfect 4-of-4 from the field.
Javon Pickett led the Bills in scoring with 14 points, while Javonte Perkins chipped in 13. Also scoring in double figures for Saint Louis was Gibson Jimerson, who turned in 11 points.
Jake Forrester grabbed a team-best eight boards. Terrence Hargrove Jr. and Francis Okoro contributed eight and nine points, respectively.
Saint Louis came out hot in the first half, hitting its first eight shots from the field and its first four from 3-point range to open up a 10-point lead at 22-12 with 13:22 remaining. After a 9-0 Davidson run pulled the Wildcats back to within one, Pickett rattled off three consecutive buckets to give SLU an eight-point cushion.
Davidson, however, scored 15 of the last 18 points in the first half and took a four-point lead, 38-34, into halftime.
In the second half, a 7-2 spurt, punctuated by a Hargrove 3-pointer, gave SLU a 49-48 lead with 12:33 remaining.
The score was tied at 62-all with 6:56 left, then SLU scored the next three baskets to take a 68-62 lead. SLU had made 9-of-10 shots at one point late in the second half.
After Davidson pulled to within two with a minute remaining, SLU got a stop, and on the ensuing possession with Davidson pressing, Pickett found Collins with a half-court pass for an easy layup and a four-point Billiken lead. Collins then put the game away with a pair of free throws in the waning seconds.
The Billikens are back in action on Tuesday, Jan. 31, to face Fordham in the Bronx, N.Y. Game time is set for 6 p.m. (CT) on Bally Sports Midwest and ESPN+.
