ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis battled Atlantic 10 Conference co-leader Rhode Island all the way in a 76-65 loss Thursday night at Chaifetz Arena.
 
Julia Martinez and Kennedy Calhoun tied for team-high scoring honors with 14 points apiece, while Kyla McMakin added 11. Martinez, who was 6-of-7 from the field, pulled down a game-high and career-high-tying 14 rebounds -- also matching the season high by a Billiken -- and added a season-high eight assists as she narrowly missed the program's first-ever triple-double. She committed just one turnover.
 
Martinez' double-double was her third of the season and fifth of her career. Calhoun's 14 points equaled her season best.
 
Brooke Flowers collected 12 rebounds, including a season-high seven offensive boards, and three blocks.
 
SLU got off to a hot start, holding a seven-point lead on three occasions in the first quarter. Rhode Island responded with a 13-5 spurt that gave the Rams a 21-20 lead after one.
 
There were five lead changes in the first half of the second quarter. The Billikens grabbed a 37-30 lead with a 7-0 run but the Rams answered again, outscoring SLU 11-2 down the stretch to lead 41-39 at intermission.
 
Saint Louis scored the first six points of the third quarter to build a four-point advantage, but the Bills couldn't pull away. There were three ties before the Rams went on top for good, 51-49, with 3:01 to play. Rhode Island led 55-52 at the third-quarter buzzer.
 
The visitors surged to a 70-58 lead, but SLU had one more charge left. Calhoun hit two free throws and buried a 3-pointer, and a McMakin basket narrowed the margin to five, 70-65, at the 2:21 mark.
 
The Billikens had a chance to make it a one-possession game but couldn't connect, and the Rams sank four straight free throws in the final seconds to secure the win.
 
Saint Louis hosts Dayton Sunday, Jan. 15, at 1 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.