ROCHESTER, Mich. -- Four players in double figures and defense that allowed just 35.7 percent from the field guided Saint Louis to a 66-59 victory at Oakland (Mich.) tonight at O'rena. After the first five minutes, the Billikens trailed just once in the game and took an 11-point margin into the half. Freshman Tommie Liddell paced the team with 13 points and nine rebounds, while Danny Brown and Vas'Shun Newborne both came off the bench to score in double figures.
With the teams trading baskets early, Liddell forced the half's fourth tie with a layup after Oakland's David Carson missed a pair of free throws. Another Liddell layup pushed the lead to three at 11:47 when OU leading scorer Calvin Wooten again tied the game with his second three-pointer of the half. The teams traded layups before Bryce Husak hit a layup at 8:14 to start a 18-8 Billiken run. Eight of SLU's baskets during that stretch were layups or dunks as the Bills carried a 39-28 lead into the break.
The Grizzlies knifed into the lead in the opening five minutes of the second period, aided by four Billiken turnovers. Kirk Kangas' triple at 15:21 pulled OU to 38-41. After the Billikens called a timeout, Anthony Drejaj dropped in a jumper, and Dwayne Polk picked up an OU turnover to feed Newborne for a layup to push the lead back to 45-38 at 14:12.
SLU opened up a double-digit lead on a pair of Ian Vouyoukas free throws at 7:49. A Billiken turnover sandwiched between a pair of fouls allowed the Grizzlies to pull within six at 6:09. After Brown hit one of two free throws, OU's Derick Nelson cut it to five points with a layup. With 4:55 remaining, Liddell hit one of two from the charity stripe, and Wooten hit a midrange jumper as the Grizzlies drew to 58-54.
With the game on the line, the Billikens struggled from the free throw line hitting just one of two in each of the next two trips to the line. Fortunately, the defense kept OU off the board as well. With 1:18 left, Drejaj found Liddell breaking free against full-court pressure for a dunk that pushed the lead to eight points. The Grizzlies would not go away quietly, though, as Wooten hit a tough jumper at 1:06 and, after Drejaj hit just one of two free throws, buried a three-pointer with 40 seconds remaining to make it a two possession game at 63-59. SLU closed out the victory from the free throw line, not allowing another shot over the final 40 seconds of the contest.
The Bills hit 50 percent from the field as Liddell was joined in double figures by Drejaj and Newborne, who had 11 apiece, and Brown, who posted 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting. After Liddell's nine rebounds, Newborne and Vouyoukas pulled down seven each, which four of Newborne's coming on the offensive end.
Wooten led OU with 17 points, held to eight under his average by the combined defensive effort of Polk and Kevin Lisch. David Carson and Brandon Cassise chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively. Derick Nelson paced the Grizzlies with 11 rebounds, including six on the offensive end.
The Billikens are back in action on Tue., Dec. 13, as they wrap up a three-game road swing at Mississippi. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast by Charter Communications.
