ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis opened the 2026-27 men's basketball season in impressive fashion Monday night, rolling to a 92-67 victory over Lehigh at Chaifetz Arena. The win extended the Billikens' school-record home winning streak to 23 games dating back to the 2024-25 season.
The Billikens (1-0) had five players score in double figures, led by Kellen Thames (6-6 FGs) and Quentin Jones with 15 points apiece. Alon Michaeli added 11 points, while Trey Green, Amari McCottry and Luke Laczkowski chipped in 10 points each.
The Billikens shot 60 percent from the field (33-of-55) and finished with a 50-24 advantage in points in the paint. Saint Louis also scored 17 points in transition and forced Lehigh into 22 turnovers.
Saint Louis wasted little time taking control. After falling behind 3-1 early, the Billikens responded with an 11-0 run to take a 12-3 lead. Michaeli, who scored nine points in the first half, helped fuel the early surge with a pair of baskets.
The Billikens continued to build their advantage throughout the opening half, shooting 58.6 percent from the field. Laczkowski provided a spark off the bench, knocking down three 3-pointers in the final three minutes of the half, including a pair in a 10-0 stretch that helped push the lead to 43-30. Green's 3-pointer in the closing seconds sent Saint Louis into halftime with a 48-31 advantage.
Saint Louis picked up where it left off after the break. A 3-pointer by Jones extended the lead to 54-31, and the Billikens continued to apply pressure on both ends of the floor. Jones capped a fast-break opportunity with a dunk at the 5:03 mark, giving SLU its largest lead of the night at 84-53.
The Billikens shot 60 percent from the field (33-of-55) and finished with a 50-24 advantage in points in the paint. Saint Louis also scored 17 points in transition and forced Lehigh into 22 turnovers.
Thames finished with 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals. Jones also scored 15 points, while Michaeli contributed 11 points and six rebounds. Jax Kerr led the Billikens with eight rebounds to go along with eight points.
Lehigh (0-1) was led by Caleb Thomas, who scored 12 points, and Joshua Ingram, who added 11.
The Billikens are back in action on Friday when they face Missouri in the Regions Bank Show Me Showdown. Game time at Enterprise Center is 6 p.m.
