SLU’s Gibson Jimerson scored 20 points in the Billikens’ loss to George Mason on Saturday. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
| NCAA Men’s Basketball | 1 | 2 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLU (7-8, 0-2) | 30 | 37 | 67 |
| George Mason (13-2, 2-0) | 39 | 40 | 79 |
DeMarcus Dixon
Staff Writer 0e1ecb
FAIRFAX, VA — Saint Louis University dropped a 79-67 decision at George Mason on Saturday afternoon in an Atlantic 10 Conference men’s basketball game at EagleBank Arena.
Saint Louis fell to 7-8 overall and 0-2 in the league with its third straight loss. George Mason won its sixth in a row and improved to 13-2 overall (2-0 A-10), matching its best start in school history.
Gibson Jimerson led the Billikens with 20 points, his seventh game of 20 or more points this season. He moved up to No. 8 on the Billikens’ all-time scoring list, passing Tommie Liddell III.
Bradley Ezewiro scored in double figures for the fourth time in as many games, finishing with 16 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Larry Hughes II matched his career high with 12 points, which included a career-best four 3-pointers.
SLU outshot the Patriots from the field (48 percent to 44 percent) but committed 16 turnovers that the Patriots turned into 21 points. Meanwhile, George Mason committed a season-low five turnovers.
The Billikens won the battle on the glass 30-29, the second straight game SLU outrebounded its opponent. George Mason was 27-of-34 from the free throw line, while SLU was 8-of-11.
Jimerson opened the scoring for the Bills with a 3-pointer, but Mason responded with a 7-0 run to grab a lead it would not relinquish.
SLU used a 6-0 rally late in the first half and pulled to within three, but George Mason extended its lead to nine at halftime.
The Patriots broke the game open with a 9-0 run early in the second half. SLU didn’t go down quietly, as they clawed back to within 12 after being down by as many as 23 in the second half.
The Billikens are next in action on Wednesday, January 10, when they host Saint Joseph’s for a 6 p.m. tipoff at Chaifetz Arena. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.
SLU 67
| ## | Player | GS | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | ORB-DRB | REB | PF | A | TO | BLK | STL | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Jimerson,Gibson | * | 34 | 6-12 | 2-6 | 6-7 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 03 | Ezewiro,Bradley | * | 24 | 7-13 | 0-0 | 2-3 | 1-7 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 16 |
| 22 | Hargrove Jr.,Terrence | * | 33 | 3-5 | 0-2 | 0-1 | 1-4 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 05 | Dalger,Tim | * | 21 | 2-6 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 01 | Medley,Cian | * | 24 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 02 | Hughes II,Larry | 23 | 4-8 | 4-7 | 0-0 | 0-3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |
| 00 | Thames,Kellen | 22 | 2-4 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | |
| 12 | Zhang,Bruce | 13 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2-1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 04 | Curcic,Djordje | 5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 15 | van Bussel,Stef | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| TM | TEAM | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2-0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals | – | 200 | 26-54 | 7-20 | 8-11 | 8-22 | 30 | 26 | 11 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 67 |
George Mason 79
| ## | Player | GS | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | ORB-DRB | REB | PF | A | TO | BLK | STL | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04 | Hall,Keyshawn | * | 33 | 6-12 | 2-4 | 8-8 | 1-7 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| 01 | Polite III,Ronald | * | 33 | 5-10 | 3-7 | 6-6 | 3-0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 19 |
| 23 | Kelly,Amari | * | 28 | 4-8 | 1-3 | 4-4 | 2-1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| 13 | Maddox,Darius | * | 35 | 3-9 | 2-5 | 3-4 | 0-1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
| 00 | Billups,Jared | * | 14 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 02 | Newton,Woody | 26 | 2-4 | 0-1 | 1-2 | 1-1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
| 08 | Wood,Tre | 4 | 1-2 | 0-1 | 3-4 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |
| 03 | Okojie,Baraka | 13 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 2-5 | 1-1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 35 | Henry,Malik | 12 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 24 | Ball,Austin | 2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| TM | TEAM | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2-4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals | – | 200 | 22-50 | 8-22 | 27-34 | 10-19 | 29 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 79 |
2023-24 SLU Billikens Men’s Basketball Schedule
| Date | Gametime | At | Opponent | Location | TV | Radio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 10, 2024 (Wednesday) | 6 pm | Home | Saint Joseph’s | Chaifetz Arena | CBSSN | KMOX 1120AM |
| January 16, 2024 (Tuesday) | 7 pm | Away | Dayton | Dayton, Ohio (UD Arena) | CBSSN | KMOX 1120AM |
| January 19, 2024 (Friday) | 6 pm | Away | VCU | Richmond, Va. (Siegel Center) | ESPN2 | KMOX 1120AM |
| January 24, 2024 (Wednesday) | 6 pm | Home | Davidson | Chaifetz Arena | Bally’s Sports Midwest | KMOX 1120AM |
| January 27, 2024 (Saturday) | 7 pm | Home | Massachusetts | Chaifetz Arena | Bally’s Sports Midwest | KMOX 1120AM |
| January 30, 2024 (Tuesday) | 7 pm | Away | Loyola Chicago | Chicago, Ill. (Gentile Arena) | Bally’s Sports Midwest | KMOX 1120AM |
| February 3, 2024 (Saturday) | 1:30 pm | Home | Fordham | Chaifetz Arena | USA Network | KMOX 1120AM |
| February 7, 2024 (Wednesday) | 5:30 pm | Away | La Salle | Philadelphia, Pa. (Gola Arena) | Bally’s Sports Midwest | KMOX 1120AM |
| February 10, 2024 (Saturday) | 11:30 am | Away | Saint Joseph’s | Philadelphia, Pa. (Hagan Arena) | USA Network | KMOX 1120AM |
| February 16, 2024 (Friday) | 6 pm | Home | VCU | Chaifetz Arena | ESPN2 | KMOX 1120AM |
| February 20, 2024 (Tuesday) | 6 pm | Away | Duquesne | Pittsburgh, Pa. (UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse) | Bally’s Sports Midwest | KMOX 1120AM |
| February 24, 2024 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Home | George Washington | Chaifetz Arena | Bally’s Sports Midwest | KMOX 1120AM |
| February 28, 2024 (Wednesday) | 7 pm | Home | Richmond | Chaifetz Arena | Bally’s Sports Midwest | KMOX 1120AM |
| March 2, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 pm | Away | Rhode Island | Kingston, R.I. (Ryan Center) | CBSSN | KMOX 1120AM |
| March 5, 2024 (Tuesday) | 8 pm | Home | Dayton | Chaifetz Arena | CBSSN | KMOX 1120AM |
| March 9, 2024 (Saturday) | 11:30 am | Away | St. Bonaventure | St. Bonaventure, N.Y. (Reilly Center) | USA Network | KMOX 1120AM |
| March 12-17 Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament | TBA | Neutral | TBA | Brooklyn, N.Y. (Barclay’s Center) |