ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis used a strong second-half performance to pull away from Bradley, earning an 88-75 victory in exhibition play Friday night at Chaifetz Arena.
The Billikens trailed 43-41 at halftime but outscored the Braves 47-32 in the second half to secure the win in their final tuneup before the 2026-27 regular season.
Trey Green led Saint Louis with 22 points, including four 3-pointers, while Kellen Thames added 18 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. Ishan Sharma scored 12 points, Cam Hutson finished with 11 points, and Badara Diakite contributed eight points off the bench.
Saint Louis made 28 of 54 field-goal attempts (51.9 percent) and was nearly perfect at the free-throw line, converting 24 of 25 attempts (96.0 percent). The Billikens also held a 38-26 advantage on the boards and scored 40 points in the paint.
The Billikens came out strong, building an early 15-6 advantage. Bradley responded, however, using a productive stretch from beyond the arc to erase the deficit. The Braves shot 53.1 percent from the field in the opening half and knocked down six 3-pointers to take a 43-41 lead into the break.
Saint Louis quickly regrouped after halftime. Green scored on a driving layup and converted the ensuing free throw before knocking down a 3-pointer to help the Billikens regain the lead, 48-46, with 16:41 remaining.
The teams traded baskets early in the second half before Saint Louis began to create separation. Hutson connected from 3-point range to extend the Billikens' lead to 56-49, and Jax Kerr followed with a 3-pointer to make it 53-49 during the stretch.
Saint Louis continued to build its advantage, using contributions from throughout the lineup to maintain control. Sharma connected on a fast-break 3-pointer with 8:58 remaining to push the lead to 68-58, giving the Billikens their first double-digit cushion of the second half.
Bradley made a push, but Saint Louis answered at the free-throw line and continued to get key baskets to keep the Braves at bay. The Billikens maintained their advantage down the stretch and closed out the 13-point victory.
SLU officially opens the 2026-27 campaign on Monday, Nov. 2, against Lehigh at Chaifetz Arena. Game time is 7 p.m.
