ST. LOUIS – Gibson Jimerson scored a game-high and season-high-tying 21 points, but Belmont overcame a large early deficit and slipped past Saint Louis 64-59 Tuesday night at Chaifetz Arena.
 
The Billikens fell to 7-3, while Belmont improved to 8-3 with a third straight victory.
 
Yuri Collins scored 11 points, including nine in the second half, and added six assists and five rebounds. Marten Linssen chipped in nine points and a team-high seven boards.
 
It was all SLU in the early going as the Billikens jumped out to leads of 8-0 and 18-3. A 7-0 Belmont run trimmed the lead to single digits before Saint Louis nearly matched its early 15-point lead with a 26-12 advantage at the 5:44 mark.
 
Belmont, an Ohio Valley Conference member that has accepted membership in the Missouri Valley Conference beginning next July, outscored SLU 14-6 the rest of the half and trailed 32-26 at intermission.
 
The Billikens expanded the margin to 11 points twice in the opening moments of the second half before the Bruins began to chip away. After Belmont pulled even at 49, Jimerson answered right away for a 51-49 Saint Louis edge with 8:00 to play.
 
Belmont knotted the score again on its next possession, then took its first lead of the contest on a free throw with 6:03 left. Collins made a layup and a free throw on Saint Louis' next two possessions for a 54-52 advantage at the 4:23 mark.
 
That was the last time the Bills would be on top, however, as Belmont ended the game on a 12-5 run.
 
The Billikens host Boston College Saturday, Dec. 11, at 4 p.m.