OTTAWA, Ontario – Saint Louis ended its Canadian exhibition tour Saturday night with a 78-73 loss to Carleton University at the Ravens’ Nest. The Billikens end the trip with a 3-2 record.
The Billikens, who played the game with just one guard, overcame an 18-point second-half deficit to trail by just three in the final minute. They were led in scoring by guard Mike McCall’s 19 points. He also registered five assists. Forward Dwayne Evans scored 18 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double with nine boards. Forward Cody Ellis, who ran the point for a better part of the game, was 6-of-12 from the field with 13 points while also adding five rebounds.
SLU was without the services of guards Jordair Jett (knee) and Kwamain Mitchell (back). Mitchell, who spent Friday night in the hospital after suffering an injury against Carleton the night before, was on the Billiken bench Saturday night. Jett suffered a minor injury in Friday’s game and was held out as a precaution.
Carleton University received 24 points from Phillip Scrubb, 23 from Tyson Hinz and 13 from Willy Manigat.
The Billikens jumped out of the gates quickly, scoring the first nine points of the game thanks in part to 3-pointers by Jake Barnett and Rob Loe. SLU led by nine again with 11:29 to go in the first half before Carleton began clawing away at its deficit. Carleton used an 18-2 run to go up seven at 29-22 with five minutes to go in the half. The Ravens took an eight-point lead (39-31) into halftime.
The Ravens stretched their lead to as many as 18 at 65-47 with 8:46 to play before the Billikens staged a furious rally to make it interesting late. A Remekun 3-point play sparked a 10-0 spurt that helped SLU pull to within eight with 5:54 left to play.
Evans connected on a jumper and Ellis scored five consecutive points as the Billikens trailed by four, 71-67, with 1:25 left. Evans hit five consecutive free throws in the final minute to pull the Bills within three at 75-72 with 39 seconds remaining, but Carleton was able to hang onto the lead and escaped with the five-point victory.
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