GAME DETAILS
Saint Louis 77, VCU 72
Thursday, January 7, 2016 | 7 p.m. (ET)
Siegel Center | Richmond, Virginia

THE BASICS
--Jackie Kemph scored a career-high 23 points and three Saint Louis reserves combined for 31 more as the Billikens registered a 77-72 Atlantic 10 Conference victory over VCU Thursday night at the Siegel Center.
--The Billikens improve to 11-4 overall and 1-1 in the A-10. VCU, which lost for the first time at home this season, fell to 12-3, 1-1.

HOW IT HAPPENED

--After Saint Louis used a 7-2 run to take a 15-10 lead in the first quarter, VCU finished the period on a 10-3 spurt to lead 20-18.

--The Rams scored on their first four possessions of the second quarter, extending their run to 18-4 for a 28-19 advantage.

--The Billikens responded with a 13-2 flurry to go back on top 32-30. All four SLU buckets during the run were 3-pointers, including two by Maddison Gits.

--A 7-2 run gave VCU a 37-34 halftime edge.

--The Rams extended the lead to 44-37 less than two minutes into the second half, but a three-point play by Sadie Stipanovich sparked a 15-2 run that put Saint Louis on top 52-46. Jordyn Frantz, who scored all seven of her points during the flurry, punctuated it with a 3-pointer.

--VCU scored the next six points to tie it at 52, but an Aaliyah Covington trey and three free throws allowed the Billikens to carry a 58-57 lead to the fourth quarter.

--SLU began the final period with a 7-1 run to build a 65-58 advantage. The Bills held their largest lead, 71-63, with 3:14 left.

--Later, VCU scored on three straight possessions to narrow the Billiken lead to 73-72 with 15 seconds remaining. But Kemph calmly sank two free throws, and a VCU 3-point attempt to tie was just off the mark.

BILLIKEN NOTABLES

--The Billikens recorded the second-highest point total VCU has allowed this season. The Rams came in ranked eighth in the nation in scoring defense, yielding just 51.1 points per game.

--SLU sank nine 3-pointers, its second-highest total this season. The Billikens shot 42.9 percent (9-of-21) from beyond the arc.

--The Bills outscored the Rams 22-13 from the free throw line. Saint Louis shot 78.6 percent (22-of-28) from the stripe, including 6-of-6 in the fourth quarter.

--SLU committed just 13 turnovers and recorded 17 assists on 23 field goals.

--Kemph was 8-of-15 from the field overall, 3-of-5 from 3-point range (tying her career high for treys) and 4-of-4 from the foul line.

--Maddison Gits scored 13 points off the bench, one point shy of her career high. Gits' 5-of-7 shooting effort included a career-high two 3-pointers (2-of-3), and she led the team with five rebounds.

--Aaliyah Covington also was a point shy of her career best, coming off the bench to toss in 11. Covington was 5-of-6 from the foul line (career highs in makes and attempts) and equaled her career high with two 3-pointers (2-of-4).

--Sadie Stipanovich connected on 5-of-7 shots and finished with 12 points.

--Jamesia Price chipped in nine points, four rebounds and a game-high-tying four assists.

--Four of Jordyn Frantz's seven points were tallied at the foul line (4-of-4) as the freshman made her first trips to the stripe as a Billiken.

--Denisha Womack tied her season high with three assists and added four rebounds.

VCU LEADERS

--Adaeze Alaeze, 20 points, seven rebounds, four assists; Keira Robinson, 15 points, three steals; Ashley Pegram, 12 points; Curteeona Brelove, 11 points, nine rebounds; Jessica Ogunnorin, six rebounds.

UP NEXT

--The Billikens conclude their two-game road trip Sunday, Jan. 10, at Davidson. Game time is 1 p.m. (CT).