Saint Louis Billikens rout Missouri Tigers in Showdown
Amari McCottry and Ishan Sharma each scored 17 points as Saint Louis won 90-84 in a rare in-state matchup.
By Arjun Weber ·
Saint Louis defeated Missouri 90-84 on Friday night at the Enterprise Center in downtown St. Louis. The Billikens used a strong third-quarter surge to secure their second win of the season. The result extended their undefeated record to 2-0.
The rivalry is rare, with only four meetings in the last 46 years. Missouri holds a 21-20 all-time lead over Saint Louis. The teams had not played since 2001 before this contest.
Saint Louis took the lead with two minutes remaining in the first quarter and never trailed. They held a 49-36 advantage at halftime. Amari McCottry and Ishan Sharma each scored 17 points for the Billikens.
Missouri attempted to mount a comeback late in the game. The Tigers closed the gap to 83-79 with 2:44 left in the fourth quarter. Alon Michaeli then scored the final seven points for Saint Louis, including a dunk to extend the lead.
Bryson Tiller led the Missouri offense with 26 points and nine rebounds. Mark Mitchell Jr. contributed 21 points, and Jamier Jones added 13 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. The Tigers shot poorly from the perimeter, allowing Saint Louis to dominate the three-point line.
Saint Louis hit 14 of 35 three-point attempts, a 56% success rate. They also shot 52% from the field overall. The Billikens will host Northern Kentucky on Tuesday, while Missouri plays Southern Illinois-Edwardsville at home on Monday.
