Dec. 12, 1999
ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis University pulled away from Missouri in the second half and held on down the stretch for a 75-72 victory this afternoon in a non-conference men's basketball game before 25,790 at the Trans World Dome. Justin Love poured in 22 points to lead the Billikens (5-2) to their second-consecutive victory.
Junior forward Justin Tatum came off the bench for 12 points, including a critical jumper late to shot circuit a Tigers rally. Matt Baniak's 13 points and nine boards helped the Billikens to a commanding 41-27 edge in rebounding.
"I'm excited for the local guys on this team who have a chance to have that edge all summer on their former high school or AAU teammates over at Mizzou," Billikens first-year head coach Justin Tatum comes to play, he energizes his teammates, because they know the kind of special things he can do."
The first few minutes were plagued by turnovers and missed shots as the excitement over the renewal of a rivalry gone dormant for 19 years appeared to overcome both teams. Missouri grabbed the early 11-6 lead on a three-pointer by Jeff Hafer. Love rallied the Billikens to a 12-11 advantage on a pair of jumpers, but Mizzou answered with 9-to-1 run to open its largest lead of the game at 20-14 with 7:53 remaining.
The Billikens interior strength began to take its toll as SLU surged ahead on a Troy Robertson lay-up with 2:34 remaining in the half. Marque Perry's driving lay-up at the horn completed the half and provided Saint Louis a 28-24 advantage.
Missouri began the second half with a 4-to-0 run to tie the game at 31, but Baniak's 10-foot jumper in the lane put Saint Louis ahead to stay. The Billikens began pounding the ball inside and went on a 16-to-7 run to build a 49-38 lead with 12:43 to play. Center Chris Heinrich contributed five points in that stretch. Tatum hit a jumper and a dunk, and Love added a pair of buckets and two free throws.
The Tigers went to full-court pressure to climb back in the game. However, SLU still held a 10-point lead with 6:22 to play. Mizzou wouldn't go away, and only Tatum's lay-up, a tip-in by Baniak and Love's free throws still kept SLU on top 71-64 with 47 seconds left. Tatum's biggest basket of the day was a 15-foot jumper off the left wing with time running out on the shot clock with one minute remaining.
Maurice Jeffers and Dave Fergerson left the door open for the Tigers as they missed three of four free throws in the final 27 seconds. Missouri's Keyon Dooling, who finished with a game-high 23 points, connected on a three, a jumper and a lay-up to keep Mizzou with four with 10 seconds remaining.
Jeffers fouled Dooling on a three-point attempt with three seconds left. After Dooling made only one of his first two, he intentionally missed the third attempt with the score 75-72. Missouri controlled the rebound, but Dooling's desperation three came after the buzzer and the Billikens were jubilant.
Saint Louis shot 65.4 percent from the field in the second half to become the first team in the Dome to ever shoot over 50 percent. The Bills' hot shooting helped them overcome 25 turnovers.
Missouri shot only 30.8 percent (8-26) from threeland and only 47.1 percent (8-17) from the free throw stripe as the Tigers lost their second straight. Hafer collected 15 points, and freshman Kareem Rush contributed 10 points and nine boards.
The teams had not met in 19 years, and the series is now tied 19-19. Saint Louis entertains unbeaten and top-ranked Cincinnati on Thu., Dec. 16, at 6 p.m. at Kiel Center. The Billikens' Conference USA opener is nationally televised on ESPN.
