SLU (16-6, 7-2 Atlantic 10) stretched its winning streak to a season-best five games while snapping Dayton’s five-game series winning streak. The Flyers (15-8, 7-3) saw their winning streak halted at three.
Yuri Collins scored 16 points to go with game highs of eight rebounds and six assists. Gibson Jimerson connected on 4-of-6 tries from 3-point range and finished with 14 points, while Fred Thatch Jr. contributed 12 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Francis Okoro grabbed seven rebounds. The Billikens out-rebounded the Flyers 16-8 in the second half to finish with a 34-28 advantage on the glass.
Saint Louis also caught fire offensively after intermission, shooting 60 percent (12-of-20) from the floor overall, 50 percent (4-of-8) from 3-point range and 83.3 percent (10-of-12) from the foul line. SLU was 18-of-21 (85.7 percent) from the stripe for the game to Dayton’s 12-of-23 (52.2 percent).
Dayton canned a 3-pointer on its first possession, but Collins scored the next four points – part of a 9-0 run – to give Saint Louis the lead for good.
The Billikens led 19-13 before Thatch made two free throws and Okoro hit a layup to give SLU its first double-digit advantage, 23-13, at the 6:32 mark. A Rashad Williams 3-pointer and two more Thatch free throws finished a 9-2 spurt that resulted in the Bills’ largest first-half cushion, 28-15, with 5:16 to play.
Dayton narrowed the gap to seven points twice before Collins drilled a jumper at the buzzer to send SLU to the locker room on top 34-25.
The Flyers drew to within six points three times in the second half. The Billikens responded with four straight points on the first two occasions before taking firm command after the final Dayton threat, using an 8-0 surge to go in front 58-44 with 7:09 remaining.
Saint Louis achieved its largest lead of the game, 67-50, with 3:58 left. Dayton assembled a 7-0 run in a final effort to get back in the game, but an Okoro layup and Jordan Nesbitt’s thunderous dunk on the Billikens’ next two possessions sealed the outcome.
The Billikens play at La Salle Tuesday, Feb. 8, at 6 p.m. Central. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
