LOS ANGELES - No. 23 Saint Louis fell 75-68 to Loyola Marymount Tuesday in non-conference men's basketball action at the Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles.

The loss is the first of the season for the 6-1 Billikens. Loyola Marymount won its third in a row and second this year against a ranked opponent as it opened with a victory over No. 17 UCLA.

Junior forward Cody Ellis led the Billikens in scoring with 18 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor and 4-of-6 from 3-point range. Senior forward Brian Conklin and junior point guard Kwamain Mitchell had 13 point apiece. Sophomore guard Jordair Jett scored eight points and pulled down a team-high six rebounds.

SLU led for the majority of the first half and built a 10-point lead at 26-16 with 4:56 remaining in the frame when Mitchell drained a trey. A pair of Conklin free throws followed to put the Billikens up 12, but then Loyola Marymount went on a 10-0 run to pull within two of the lead. Jett hit a jumper in the final minute of the half to send the teams to the locker rooms with the Billikens leading 30-26.

A back-and-forth second half saw the game tied on five occasions and the lead change hands six times. LMU used an 8-2 rally to go on top 36-34. After Ellis put the Billikens ahead by one at 52-51 with 8:58 to go in the game, LMU again went on a scoring spurt, this time scoring seven in a row to stretch its lead to 58-52 with 6:19 to play.

LaRon Armstead (game-high 22 points), Anthony Ireland (17 points) and Jared DuBois (16 points) took over from that point on and the Billikens never threatened again.

Saint Louis opens a six-game homestand on Saturday when it welcomes Portland to Chaifetz Arena. Tip time is scheduled for 7 p.m.