Courtesy of SLUBillinkens.com
ST. LOUIS – Javonte Perkins scored a game- and season-high 23 points, Yuri Collins had a double-double and Jake Forrester tallied a season-high 12 points, but SIUE rallied for a 69-67 win over Saint Louis Wednesday night at Chaifetz Arena.
The Billikens ended the first half on a 12-2 run to take a 33-22 lead to the locker room and, after SIUE scored the first eight points of the second half to make it a one-possession game, swelled the margin to 18 points, 55-37, with 11:06 remaining.
The lead was 63-50 after Collins connected twice from the foul line at the 5:52 mark, but from there it was all SIUE.
The Cougars began their game-ending 19-4 spurt with a pair of 3-pointers on consecutive possessions. They pulled even at 66 with 1:08 left and grabbed a 68-67 edge with 30 seconds to play. A 1-of-2 trip at the free throw line with 12 seconds remaining left the door open for Saint Louis to tie or take the lead, but the Billikens could not connect on their final possession.
Perkins’ 9-of-15 shooting performance included a career-high-tying five 3-pointers (5-of-10).
Collins finished with 13 points and a game-high 10 assists, his third double-double of the season and sixth double-digit assist total. He added a game-high and season-high-tying three steals.
Forrester matched his career best and tied for game-high honors with three blocks, and his six rebounds tied Fred Thatch Jr. for the team high. Thatch equaled his season high of four assists.
The Billikens committed just nine turnovers, their fifth single-digit total of the season.
Saint Louis begins Atlantic 10 Conference play Saturday, Dec. 31, at Saint Joseph’s.
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