The Saint Louis Billikens (17-13, 10-7 A-10) fell to the Dayton Flyers (21-9, 11-6 A-10) 75-67 on Tuesday evening, missing a chance to secure a higher seed in the upcoming Atlantic 10 Tournament. The Billikens looked to be the better side in the first half but couldn’t keep it together to outlast the Flyers in the second.
Game Recap:
The Billikens came out strong, shooting over 50% from the field in the first half and building a 41-28 halftime lead. Jimerson’s hot hand helped SLU dominate early, but the offense stalled after the break. The Billikens shot just 33% from the floor and 25% from deep in the second half, opening the door for a Dayton comeback.
The Flyers struggled offensively in the first half but flipped the script in the second, shooting 50% from the field. Enoch Cheeks led a balanced attack with 17 points, and Dayton had five players in double figures. The Flyers erased a 15-point deficit, tying the game at 53-53 before sealing the win with a decisive 15-2 run.
SLU’s lack of offensive depth showed, with Isaiah Swope and Jimerson combining for 51 of the team’s 67 points. Robbie Avila added 10 points but struggled with efficiency, shooting 4-for-11 and 0-for-4 from three. If the Billikens are looking to close out games, they will need to have other numbers step up to help on offense.
Key Performances:
SLU:
Isaiah Swope: Led SLU with 28 points, shooting 11-of-17 from the field and 5-of-8 from three.
Gibson Jimerson: Coming off a record-breaking performance, Jimerson scored 23 points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. He knocked down five three-pointers in the first half.
Dayton:
Enoch Cheeks: 17 points, nine rebounds
Dayton covered the -6.5 spread while the total score was UNDER the 144.5 line.
What’s Next:
Saint Louis will look to rebound in its regular-season finale against Duquesne on Saturday at Chaifetz Arena, with tip-off set for 7:00 p.m. CST. The Billikens need a win to build momentum heading into the A-10 Tournament, where seeding will play a crucial role in their postseason path.