ST. LOUIS -- Saint Louis University women's basketball earned a hard-fought 62-58 win over the Dayton Flyers Sunday afternoon at Chaifetz Arena, securing its second straight win.
 

The Billikens kicked off the game quickly, taking control with an early 11-0 lead. The Dayton offense struggled to get going as Saint Louis forced six turnovers in the first 10 minutes. The Billikens offense was fueled by its defense, and the entire starting lineup scored in the first quarter. At the end of the quarter, the Billikens led 18-9.
 

Saint Louis picked up right where it left off in the second quarter, thanks to an Alyssa Koerkenmeier basket in the first 20 seconds, which set the tone. The Billikens continued to limit the Flyers offense, forcing five more turnovers in that span and finishing the first half shooting 20.7% from the field. Dayton closed out the half 0-9 from the field as the Billikens headed into halftime with a 32-17 lead. 

Dayton fought its way back into the game with a strong second half, but the Billikens held on as the game came down to the final minutes. The Saint Louis backcourt provided an offensive spark, with 11 points from Zya Nugent and seven points in the second half from Jahda Denis.

The Flyers made it a one-possession game in the final three minutes, but the Billikens closed out the game with strong free-throw shooting by Nugent and a right-wing three by Denis in the final 33 seconds to secure the win. 
 

- Alyssa Koerkenmeier finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds for her fourth straight double-double and sixth in her last seven games.
- Koerkenmeier also set a career high with six blocks on the day.
-17 first-half points are the fewest allowed by the Billikens this season.
- The Billikens have now won six of the last seven games over the Flyers.

UP NEXT
The Billikens fly East for a midweek matchup against the Fordham Rams on Jan. 21, set for a 10 a.m. Central tip.