Five Billikens scored in double figures and Yuri Collins dished out a season-high 15 assists as Saint Louis (5-1) rolled to a 96-53 win over NAIA Paul Quinn College on Wednesday night at Chaifetz Arena.
The 15 assists for Collins are the most by a player in NCAA Division I this season and adds to his NCAA-leading assists total, which now stands at 64. Collins is averaging 10.7 assists per game.
Gibson Jimerson led a balanced Billiken scoring attack with 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 from 3-point range. Javonte Perkins drilled three treys en route to 15 points. Also scoring in double figures was Sincere Parker (career-high 12 points), Jake Forrester (season-high-tying 11 points) and Terrence Hargrove Jr. (season-high 10 points).
Every available Billiken saw playing time and several entered the scoring column for the first time. Kellen Thames had four points, including an ally-oop slam off a pass from fellow freshman Larry Hughes Jr. (career-high five points) for Thames’ first bucket of his career. Mouhamadou Cissé had his first collegiate field goal and posted two assists. Lamont Evans IV made his Billiken debut and scored, while Phil Jones had his first collegiate appearance and registered a steal.
The Billikens shot 56.7 percent from the field, 45.8 percent from 3-point range and 85 percent from the stripe.
The Tigers weren’t a pushover. Paul Quinn had the game tied at 9-9 and the Billiken lead was in single digits until SLU started to pull away late in the first half. SLU took a 20-point lead into the break (50-30), and continued a 15-0 scoring run into the second half to put the game out of reach.
The Billikens return to action Sunday afternoon when they travel to take on No. 13 Auburn (6-0). Game time from Neville Arena is slated for 2 p.m., and it will be televised on SEC Network.
