ST. LOUIS - Behind a game-high 20 points from junior forward Cody Ellis, Saint Louis topped Fordham 66-46 Saturday in Atlantic 10 Conference men's basketball action at Chaifetz Arena.
The win, SLU's sixth in a row and its ninth in the last 10 games, moves the Billikens to 22-5 overall and 10-3 in the A-10. They remain a half-game back of league-leader Temple (10-2) for second in the conference standings.
Ellis' 20 points, which tied a career high, came on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor and 5-of-8 from 3-point range. He also gathered six rebounds and registered two steals.
Kwamain Mitchell pumped in 16 points and tied a season high with seven rebounds. Mike McCall Jr. scored 11 points, dished out a team-best six assists and posted three steals. Rob Loe set a career high with 11 rebounds and also blocked two shots.
The Billikens shot 41 percent from the field, including a 48 percent mark in a second half that saw SLU pull away, leading by as much as 26 in the frame. The Billikens committed just six turnovers in the game, a season low.
Fordham (9-16, 2-10 A-10) was led by Chris Gaston's 14 points. Kervin Bristol pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds, including 13 in the first half alone.
The Billikens jumped out to a 5-0 lead, but saw Fordham score nine in a row as the Rams led 9-5 early on. SLU took control midway through the first half. McCall hit a layup at the 8:15 mark that gave SLU a 16-14 lead, and the Billikens never looked back. A pair of triples by Ellis in the final minute gave SLU a 26-16 advantage at the half.
SLU came out firing in the second session, going on a 15-4 spurt to give the Billikens a 21-point lead at 41-20 with 13:29 left. The SLU advantage hovered around 20 points the rest of the way. A Mitchell alley-oop from a McCall pass at the seven-minute mark gave the Billikens a 58-36 advantage, and SLU cruised to the 20-point victory.
Saint Louis returns to action Saturday, Feb. 25, at Rhode Island for a 1 p.m. (CT) tilt. The game will be televised by CBS Sports Network Regional and will be shown in St. Louis on Charter Communications' Channel 3 (CCIN).
