Billikens Rally to Beat Davidson 57-56 in Thrilling Finale

The Saint Louis University Billikens (16-12, 9-6 A-10) secured a thrilling 57-56 victory over Davidson (16-12, 6-9 A-10) on Tuesday night, improving their overall record to 16-12 and conference record to 9-6 in the Atlantic 10. The win is a critical one as the Billikens continue to fight for a strong position in the A-10 standings, keeping their postseason hopes alive.

Key Highlights:

Swope and Avila Lead the Charge: Isaiah Swope led the way for Saint Louis with a game-high 23 points, including a 6-of-10 effort from beyond the arc. Robbie Avila added 19 points, with 17 of them coming in a standout second half that helped fuel the comeback.

Second Half Surge: After struggling in the first half, where they shot just 25% from the field, the Billikens found their rhythm in the second, shooting an impressive 59% to outscore Davidson by 17 points in the final 20 minutes.

Comeback from 13 Down: Davidson seemed to have control of the game, leading by 13 points with just 6 minutes remaining. But the Billikens responded with a 19-5 run to close the game, securing a thrilling one-point victory with Avila getting the last shot in with four seconds to play.

Strong Rebounding Effort: Swope contributed 5 rebounds, while Avila added 7. Gibson Jimerson, despite a challenging night shooting (3-for-13, 2-for-10 from three), played an important role with his defensive efforts and leadership.

Davidson Standouts: For the Wildcats, Connor Kochera led the way with 22 points and 6 rebounds, while Reed Bailey chipped in 14 points and 5 assists. Despite their strong efforts, Davidson couldn’t hold off the Billikens' late-game surge.

Saint Louis went into halftime trailing 27-18, with Swope accounting for 14 of the Billikens’ 18 points. The comeback win highlights the team’s resilience and ability to overcome adversity, a needed trait as they head into the final stretch of the season.

Betting Recap:

Saint Louis covered the +1.5 spread and the total went under 144.5

What’s Next:

Saint Louis now looks ahead to Saturday where they face against Loyola Chicago at Chaifetz Arena at 3:00 p.m. CST, broadcast on CBSSN. This game is important for the Billikens as they continue to battle for a strong seed in the A-10 tournament and improve their postseason chances. With this win, they are gaining momentum and will look to build on it in the final weeks of the regular season.