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Javonte Perkins scored a game-high 21 points in his return to the Saint Louis lineup, Yuri Collins recorded a game-high 14 assists with no turnovers, and Javon Pickett and Francis Okoro grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds apiece in the Billikens’ 91-68 season-opening victory over Murray State Monday night at Chaifetz Arena.
Gibson Jimerson tallied 15 of his 20 points in the second half for the Billikens, who improved to 9-0 all-time vs. Murray State. Pickett, whose 13 boards are a career high, added 13 points, while Jake Forrester tossed in 11 to go with seven rebounds. Fred Thatch Jr. also collected seven rebounds while adding four assists and three blocks.
Jamari Smith led Murray State of the Missouri Valley Conference with 19 points.
SLU led 44-29 at intermission and extended the lead to 18 points when Jimerson buried one of his four second-half 3-pointers on the Bills’ first possession.
The margin floated between 14 and 18 until Murray State pulled to within 11, 59-48, with 12:06 remaining.
The teams traded buckets over the next three minutes before a quick 8-0 spurt, featuring treys by Jimerson and Perkins, gave the Billikens a 74-55 advantage at the 8:44 mark. Murray State drew no closer than 13 points the rest of the way, and the final score matched SLU’s largest lead of the night.
The visiting Racers jumped out to a 9-2 lead, but a 12-4 run put the Billikens on top for good. Saint Louis extended the run to 19-4 to go in front 21-13 with 9:13 to go in the first half.
The teams traded runs the rest of the half. An 8-0 SLU spurt made it 35-22, followed by Murray State’s 7-0 run that sliced the Racers’ deficit to six points, 35-29. But the Billikens closed with a 9-0 flurry, including a four-point play by Perkins, to gain a 15-point halftime cushion.
The Billikens host Evansville Saturday, Nov. 12, at 6 p.m. The game will be televised on Bally Sports Midwest.
