Saint Louis had three players score in double figures, and the Billikens received 31 points from three players off the bench in a 66-63 victory over Kansas State Saturday night at Sprint Center.
It was the second nonconference road win of the season for the Billikens, who move to 10-2 entering their nonconference finale on Dec. 29 against Bethune-Cookman at Chaifetz Arena. Kansas State dips to 6-5.
Javonte Perkins scored 11 of his team-high 12 points in the second half. Jordan Goodwin (11 points) and Terrence Hargrove Jr. (10 points) also scored in double figures for the Billikens.
Tay Weaver scored nine points to join Perkins and Hargrove for an impressive scoring performance off the bench.
Yuri Collins finished with seven points, six assists and four steals. He scored the Billikens’ final three points to break a 60-60 tie late in the game.
Hasahn French finished with eight points and five boards. Jimmy Bell Jr. was a perfect 4-of-4 from the line, while Demarius Jacobs scored five points and finished at a team-high +9 in plus/minus.
The game featured 13 ties and 12 lead changes, which included 10 lead changes in the second half alone. Collins drove to the hole for a bucket with 2:00 left in the game to break a 63-all tie. He then put the Billikens up 66-63 with a free throw with less than a minute to go.
Kansas State had a chance to tie it at the buzzer, but Xavier Sneed’s 3-pointer from the top of the key rimmed out and the Billikens escaped with the road win.
Just as they did in the game against No. 12 Auburn last week, the Billikens got off to a hot start, jumping on top 9-0 at the outset. SLU led by as many as 11 points midway through the first half before Kansas State came back to draw even at halftime, 31-31.
The Billikens went up by four, 37-33, on an alley-oop dunk by Jacobs from Collins. But after that point, neither team would grow a lead by more than three points the rest of way.
SLU hosts Bethune-Cookman on Sunday, Dec. 29, in a 6 p.m. tip at Chaifetz Arena. The game will be televised on FOX Sports Midwest.
