ST. LOUIS –
Jordan Goodwin poured in a game- and season-high 23 points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds, and Saint Louis outscored Kansas City 45-23 over the final 24 minutes to win going away, 62-46, Wednesday night at Chaifetz Arena.
Saint Louis concluded the non-conference portion of its schedule with a 7-1 record, its best non-conference mark since the 1993-94 Billikens went 14-0. Kansas City, a member of the Summit League, slipped to 4-5.
Goodwin's double-double was the 30th of his career and seventh in eight games this season. He scored 15 points, and
Javonte Perkins tallied 13 of his 14, including all three of his 3-pointers, in a second half that saw the Billikens shoot 59 percent (13-of-22) overall and 3-of-5 from 3-point range.
Hasahn French posted eight points, six rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals.
Yuri Collins had a game-high seven assists.
Brandon McKissic (18 points, five assists) and Josiah Allick (13 points, nine rebounds) led Kansas City.
Leading by two at the break following a late-first-half run, the Billikens opened the second stanza with a 16-6 spurt sparked by Perkins (eight points) and Goodwin (six). Perkins' second triple punctuated the flurry, and SLU was on top 44-32 with 12:23 remaining.
The lead hovered between 10 and 13 points until Jacob Johnson's 3-pointer and two McKissic free throws narrowed the gap to eight, 50-42, at the 6:44 mark.
McKissic's layup with 5:35 left made it 53-44, but those were the Roos' last significant points. Goodwin sank two from the stripe on SLU's next possession to push the lead to double digits again, and the margin grew to 18 before a late Kansas City bucket accounted for the final score.
Kansas City led by six points twice in the first half, the second time a 23-17 edge at the 3:57 mark following back-to-back 3-pointers by Franck Kamgain and McKissic.
Saint Louis answered with an 11-3 spurt to close the half.
Terrence Hargrove Jr.'s three-point play tied it at 23, and the Billikens took a 28-23 lead on a
Demarius Jacobs trey and Goodwin's fast-break dunk. A late Kansas City 3-pointer made it 28-26 SLU at intermission.
The Billikens begin Atlantic 10 Conference play at home Wednesday, Dec. 30, when Duquesne comes to Chaifetz Arena for a 6 p.m. tip-off. The game will be televised by FOX Sports Midwest.
