VERMILLION, S.D. – Saint Louis opened its season on a high note Monday, defeating South Dakota 85-83 in overtime at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center in Vermillion, S.D. 

Peyton Kennedy led the Billikens with 25 points, including the game-winning basket with six seconds remaining in overtime.

Kennedy also tied the school record with a 12-of-12 performance from the free-throw line. Star Jackson (2002), Theresa Lisch (2008) and Jackie Kemph (2016) also went 12-for-12 from the line in a game for the Billikens.

Kennedy Calhoun finished with a career-high 21 points. She also dished out four assists and had three steals. 

Brooklyn Gray had 15 points and seven rebounds, while Shun'teria Anumele posted 12 points, which included consecutive tough baskets in overtime. Tierra Simon led the Bills with 13 rebounds. 

Hannah Wallace posted five rebounds and blocked three shots. Her first collegiate bucket was on a tip-in in overtime.

SLU led 18-11 after the first quarter and took a 36-25 lead into halftime.

The Billikens build their lead to as many as 17 points early in the third quarter before South Dakota started chipping away. A Coyotes 9-0 run got them back into it, and they had a three-point lead with 1:26 to go.

Four consecutive free throws by Kennedy and Gray put SLU on top by one. Anumele added a free throw late in the game, giving South Dakota the ball with a chance to win or tie. Grace Larkins, who scored a game-high 27 points for the Coyotes, drove the length of the court and converted at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. 

The Billikens led by as many as six in overtime before the Coyotes came back to tie it with 18 seconds left to set up Kennedy's late-game heroics. She took a feed from Calhoun and layed it in for the eventual game-winning bucket. USD's desperation three at the overtime buzzer was off the mark, and SLU escaped with the quality road win.

The Billikens (1-0) continue their season-opening road swing on Thursday at Drake. Game time is 6 p.m. on ESPN+.