CANCUN, Mexico - Saint Louis dropped a 69-61 decision to Ole Miss Friday night to close out the 2010 Cancun Governor's Cup at Poliforum Benito Juarez.

Kyle Cassity and Brian Conklin registered career highs in scoring. Cassity poured in 21 points, while Conklin notched 19.

Conklin averaged a team-best 14 ppg during the three-game tourney and was named to the Cancun Governor's Cup All-Tournament team.

The loss dips the Billikens to 5-7 overall. They resume play next Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011, against Bowling Green at Chaifetz Arena. Game time is set for 3 p.m. and it will be televised on Fox Sports Midwest.

A late rally made the game close in the final minutes. The Billikens were down by 11 with 1:53 to play, but a 7-0 run over the next 42 seconds pulled SLU within four. Conklin drained a pair of free throws, and Cassity keyed the spurt with a big 3-pointer. SLU's pressure defense forced an Ole Miss turnover on the ensuing possession, and Conklin followed with a basket to make it 62-58 with 1:11 to go in the contest. But that is as close to the lead as the Billikens would get before falling 69-61.

The Rebels (9-3) opened up a 5-0 lead at the start, but the Billikens came back and scored six straight to take a 6-5 advantage. SLU built its lead to nine at 18-9 with 8:25 to play on a Jordair Jett 3-pointer.

Ole Miss went on a 10-0 run late in the first half and took a 28-24 lead into halftime.

The Billikens twice faced deficits of seven points in the second stanza but kept it close thanks to 3-pointers by Cassity and Paul Eckerle. Ole Miss led by as many as 15 points in the final five minutes before the Billikens' late rally.

Cassity's career-high scoring mark came on 8-for-13 shooting from the field and 5-of-10 from 3-point range. Conklin was 7-of-14 from the floor. Jett collected a team-high five rebounds and collected four steals to go with 12 points.