COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) - Saint Louis could not solve a smothering Texas A&M defense in a 69-33 loss to the 12th-ranked Aggies in the championship game of the Shelby Metcalf Classic. A&M led throughout the contest and held the Billikens to their lowest point total in 55 years. After opening the season on a shooting tear, SLU hit just 20.8 percent from the field, including 14.3 percent in the first half. Sophomore Tommie Liddell led the Bills in scoring with 12 points, while Ian Vouyoukas snagged a game-high 13 rebounds.

The Billikens got off on the wrong foot with four turnovers and four missed shots in their first nine possessions but still trailed by only five points five minutes into the game. As SLU continued to struggle from the field, however, the Aggies began to find the seams in the Billiken defense. Acie Law IV scored 11 of the Aggie's next 13 points over the ensuing five minutes, pushing the lead to nine. Luke Meyer hit a layup with 9:48 left in the half to cut the lead to seven, then the Aggie defense clamped down further and held SLU without a bucket until Liddell's layup with 30 seconds left in the half. At that point, the lead had grown to 21.

Vouyoukas kicked off the second half with a pair of free throws to bring the deficit under 20, but still the Billikens' first field goal of the period did not come until the 15:45 mark. Vouyoukas followed that layup with another at 14:03 for a 39-19 margin, which was the closest the Bills would get for the remainder of the game.

Law led all scorers with 23 points, including 15 in the first half, as the Aggies hit 53.6 percent from the field. SLU was just 2-of-13 from 3-point range after entering the game hitting 49 percent from long distance. The Aggies slowed down the Billikens' transition game, allowing just two fast break points, while A&M tallied 16 points off 16 Billiken turnovers and established a 36-14 advantage in the paint.

Despite the defeat, Liddell and Kevin Lisch were named to the All-Tournament team.

After playing three games in three days, the Billikens take a break next week before hosting former Conference USA rival Houston on Sat., Nov. 25, at 1 p.m. at Scottrade Center.