SLU’s Kellen Thames makes a move around a Lehigh defender in Monday’s season opener at Chaifetz Arena. (Photo: Thomas Grove)

NCAA Men’s Basketball12Final
Lehigh (0-1)313667
Saint Louis (1-0)484492

ST. LOUIS, MO — The Saint Louis University men’s basketball team opened the 2026-27 season with an impressive 92-67 win over Lehigh, Monday night at Chaifetz Arena.

Six Saint Louis players scored in double figures, as Lehigh scored the first basket of the game, but the Billikens led from every point after that.

Seniors Kellen Thames and Quentin Jones each scored 15 points to lead Saint Louis. Thames, the native St. Louisan, was six-for-six from the floor, while also adding in six rebounds, three steals, two assists, and a clock. Jones had three assists and was six-for-seven from the free throw line.

Sophomore Alon Michaeli, a transfer from Colorado, had 11 points and six rebounds, while Trey Green, Luke Laczkowski, and Amari McCottry chipped in 10 points each.

New SLU big man Luke Laczkowski makes a move against a Lehigh defender during Monday’s season opener at Chaifetz Arena. (Photo: Thomas Grove)

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.

SLU’s Kellen Thames defends against Lehigh’s Jalen Vazquez during Monday’s season opener at Chaifetz Arena. (Photo: Thomas Grove)

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.

Lehigh (0-1), which plays in the Patriot League, was led by Caleb Thomas, who scored 12 points, and Joshua Ingram, who added 11.

The victory extended SLU’s home winning streak to 23 straight games, dating back to the 2024-25 season.

The Billikens will be back in action on Friday, when they’ll face in-state rival Missouri in the “Show Me Showdown” game at Enterprise Center. Tip off is set for 6 p.m., and the game will be televised nationally on ESPNU.

LEHIGH 67

##PlayerGSMINFG3PTFTORB-DRBREBPFATOBLKSTLPTS
04Ingram, Joshua*252-82-45-61-452140211
35Alvey, Hank*254-80-12-71-454410010
25Kramer, Peter*151-30-23-31-01101025
01Vazquez, Jalen*121-40-10-01-01111022
09Rudusans, Ralfs*100-30-20-01-34101000
10Thomas, Caleb215-60-12-20-002000012
05Benoit, Edouard212-90-55-51-23311009
00Urosevic, Andrew143-82-70-00-00210008
14Watson, Colton91-20-03-43-25001015
07Tshibola, Chris201-31-20-01-45241003
11Cohen, Carter21-10-00-00-00000002
15Addesa, Alfredo130-00-00-00-22211010
02Burrows, Caesar110-10-10-00-00000000
18Djanogly, Nate20-20-10-00-00000000
TMTEAM00-00-00-00-11000000
Totals–20021-585-2720-2710-22322013120867

SLU 92

##PlayerGSMINFG3PTFTORB-DRBREBPFATOBLKSTLPTS
01Jones, Quentin*274-81-36-70-113321115
00Thames, Kellen*206-60-03-72-460201315
07Michaeli, Alon*175-61-10-10-663240011
03Green, Trey*254-91-51-10-000120110
09Sharma, Ishan*211-21-22-30-33310025
04McCottry, Amari183-40-04-60-662210110
14Laczkowski, Luke154-72-50-00-001100110
15Kerr, Jax172-52-42-22-68220208
24Hutson, Cam151-20-10-01-01301202
06Pearson, Sheek81-10-00-00-11100002
31Strong, Elijah51-10-00-00-00100002
10White, Jamison11-10-00-00-00000002
02Diakite, Badara70-20-10-00-11100000
21Ahmad, Yousaf30-10-10-00-11100000
11Thomas, Jermel10-00-00-00-00000000
TMTEAM00-00-00-01-34000000
Totals–20033-558-2318-276-32382114106992

2026-27 SLU BILLIKENS MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

DateTimeAtOpponentLocationTVRadioResults
November 2, 2026 (Monday)7 pmHomeLehighChaifetz ArenaW, 92-67 (1-0)
November 6, 2026 (Friday)6 pmNeutralMissouriSt. Louis, Mo. (Enterprise Center)
November 10, 2026 (Tuesday)7 pmHomeNorthern KentuckyChaifetz Arena
November 15, 2026 (Sunday)2 pmHomeHigh PointChaifetz Arena
November 20, 2026 (Friday)10 pmAwaySaint Mary’sMoraga, Calif.
November 24, 2026 (Tuesday)8:30 pmNeutralGrand CanyonPalm Desert, Calif. (Acrisure Arena)
November 25, 2026 (Wednesday)8:30 pm or 11 pmNeutralColorado or StanfordPalm Desert, Calif. (Acrisure Arena)
November 29, 2026 (Sunday)2:30 pmNeutralSouth FloridaColumbus, Ohio (Nationwide Arena)
December 2, 2026 (Wednesday)7 pmHomeArkansas-Pine BluffChaifetz Arena
December 6, 2026 (Sunday)1 pmHomeSoutheast MissouriChaifetz Arena
December 12, 2026 (Saturday)5:30 pmHomeDePaulChaifetz Arena
December 15, 2026 (Tuesday)7 pmHomeFlorida A&MChaifetz Arena
December 20, 2026 (Sunday)2 pmHomeJackson StateChaifetz Arena
December 27, 2026 (Sunday)2 pmHomeMissouri BaptistChaifetz Arena
December 30, 2026 (Wednesday)6 pmAwayFordham*Bronx, N.Y.
January 2, 2027 (Saturday)3 pmHomeSt. Bonaventure*Chaifetz Arena
January 6, 2027 (Wednesday)7 pmAwayRichmond*Richmond, Va.
January 9, 2027 (Saturday)5 pmHomeDayton*Chaifetz Arena
January 13, 2027 (Wednesday)6 pmHomeLoyola Chicago*Chaifetz Arena
January 20, 2027 (Wednesday)6 pmAwayLa Salle*Philadelphia, Pa.
January 23, 2027 (Saturday)7 pmAwaySaint Joseph’s*Philadelphia, Pa.
January 26, 2027 (Tuesday)6 pmHomeRhode Island*Chaifetz Arena
January 29, 2027 (Friday)5 pmAwayDayton*Dayton, Ohio
February 5, 2027 (Friday)6 pmHomeVCU*Chaifetz Arena
February 9, 2027 (Tuesday)7 pmAwayLoyola Chicago*Chicago, Ill.
February 12, 2027 (Friday)6 pmHomeSaint Joseph’s*Chaifetz Arena
February 16, 2027 (Tuesday)6 pmHomeDavidson*Chaifetz Arena
February 19, 2027 (Friday)6 pmAwayVCU*Richmond, Va.
February 24, 2027 (Wednesday)7 pmHomeLa Salle*Chaifetz Arena
February 27, 2027 (Saturday)7 pmAwayGeorge Washington*Washington, D.C.
March 3, 2027 (Wednesday)6 pmAwayDuquesne*Pittsburgh, Pa.
March 6, 2027 (Saturday)1:30 pmHomeGeorge Mason*Chaifetz Arena
March 10-14, 2027TBDNeutralAtlantic 10 Conference TournamentBronx, N.Y.

* – denotes Atlantic 10 Conference game