DAVIDSON, N.C. – Brooke Flowers scored a career-high 24 points and Julia Martinez came within one point of matching her career best with 19, but Davidson rallied for a 75-71 Atlantic 10 Conference win over Saint Louis Wednesday night at Belk Arena.

"I thought we had great execution by our women in terms of game-planning," SLU head coach Rebecca Tillett said. "Huge credit, however, to Davidson for making the big shots that they needed in order to beat us. We still have to learn how to get stops. It's hard when you have so many things that you're happy that your team did, and yet you come out with the loss. Our team found a new level of toughness and attack and an ability to execute game plans. That is good progress for us. We have to stay after it and fight for the next one."
 
Flowers was 11-of-14 from the floor, tying her career high for field goals made, and added five rebounds. Martinez tied for game-high honors with six assists and tied Mia Nicastro (10 points) for team-high honors with six rebounds, including four on the offensive glass.
 
Kyla McMakin scored 10 points and collected five rebounds. McMakin became the 10th active player in NCAA Division I women's basketball to score 2,000 career points (2,003), and her first rebound of the game was the 500th of her career. Kennedy Calhoun chipped in four assists.

"Just a few weeks ago, I had my 100th career game, so it's just crazy how long it's been since my freshman year," McMakin said. "It's really nice to be able to hit those milestones. I couldn't have done it without all my teammates that I've had here and in the past."

"For Kyla to score 2,000 points in a normal four-year career, with a COVID season, and coming from a smaller university that doesn't play MTE events, is a really impressive accomplishment," Tillett said. "I know she's working hard to get back on track efficiency wise, but nothing takes away from her ability to do what she does with the basketball."

Martinez had two steals to lift her season total to 72. That is a Saint Louis record for a senior, and she now owns second place on the Billikens' overall single-season list. The school record is 87, set by Theza Fitzpatrick in the 1983-84 campaign.
 
The Billikens shot 50.8 percent (32-of-63) from the floor – their season high in an A-10 game this season and second-highest mark overall – and earned a 34-27 rebounding edge.

"When we get a good game plan from our coaches and we execute to the best of our abilities, good things are going to come out of that," Flowers said. "That helps my confidence and our team's confidence. We have to stay on that track and keep focusing on the goals and challenges that they give us coming in the game."

Saint Louis scored on its first five second-half possessions and turned a four-point halftime lead into a 10-point cushion, 46-36. Davidson chipped away and claimed a 57-56 advantage after three quarters.
 
The fourth quarter was tight all the way, featuring four ties and four lead changes. The Billikens owned a three-point lead twice, the second time a 67-64 edge, before the Wildcats used a 9-2 surge to grab a 73-69 lead at the 1:34 mark.
 
SLU made it a one-possession game on a Flowers layup with 54 seconds left, and the Bills had a chance to tie or go on top but failed to convert. Two free throws in the final seconds secured the win for Davidson.
 
Saint Louis scored on six of its first eight and eight of its first 12 possessions in building a 19-7 lead with 4:03 left in the first quarter.
 
Davidson held the Billikens to two points the rest of the period and trailed 21-15 at the buzzer. The Wildcats stretched the run to 16-2 to take their first lead, 23-21, with 7:24 to play in the second quarter.
 
A Martinez bucket and Flowers' three-point play on consecutive possessions put SLU back in front, 26-23. Later, a 9-4 spurt gave Davidson a 34-32 edge, but two baskets by Flowers and one by Martinez on the Billikens' final three possessions of the quarter allowed Saint Louis to take a 38-34 lead to the locker room.
 
The Billikens play their next two games at home, beginning with Fordham Saturday, Jan. 28. Tip time at Chaifetz Arena is 7 p.m.