SLU’s Robbie Avila attempts a shot against VCU’s Christian Fermin during Tuesday’s NCAA men’s basketball game at Siegel Center in Richmond, Va. (Photo courtesy: VCU Athletics)
| NCAA Men’s Basketball | 1 | 2 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLU (10-7, 3-1) | 42 | 20 | 62 |
| VCU (13-4, 3-1) | 47 | 31 | 78 |
Jason Barnes
Staff Writer
RICHMOND, VA — Turnovers and a rough night rebounding proved to be too much for the Saint Louis University men’s basketball team, which suffered its first Atlantic 10 Conference loss of the season on Tuesday, in a 78-62 defeat at VCU.
The host Rams got a game-high 23 points from scoring standout Joe Bamisile and forced 19 Saint Louis turnovers, while also outrebounding the Billikens 38-26 on their way to their 13th win of the season.
SLU is now 10-7 on the season and 3-1 in the Atlantic 10.
Gibson Jimerson looks for someone to pass to during Tuesday’s NCAA men’s basketball game against VCU. (Photo courtesy: VCU Athletics)
Robbie Avila and Isaiah Swope led the way for Saint Louis with 18 points apiece. Avila added a team-best eight rebounds. Gibson Jimerson contributed 11 points for the Billikens.
VCU outrebounded the Billikens 38-26, which included a 22-4 edge on the offensive glass. The Rams turned those 22 offensive boards into 19 second-chance points. VCU took 72 shots compared to the Billikens’ 37.
The Billikens withstood several double-digit deficits in the first half to trail by just five at halftime, 47-42. A 3-pointer by Avila at the first-half buzzer gave him a team-leading 16 points at the break.
Jimerson’s lay-in opened the scoring in the second half to bring SLU within a possession of the lead, but it would get no closer. VCU utilized a 10-0 run midway through the second half to break the game open, and cruised the rest of the way to a 16-point win.
VCU’s Zeb Jackson attempts a jump shot during Tuesday’s NCAA men’s basketball game against SLU. (Photo courtesy: VCU Athletics)
SLU will be back in action on Saturday, with another game in Richmond. This time, the Billikens will take on the University of Richmond at that school’s Robins Center.
Tip off on Saturday is set for 1:30 p.m., and the game will be televised nationally on the USA Network.
SLU 62
| ## | Player | GS | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | ORB-DRB | REB | PF | A | TO | BLK | STL | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Swope, Isaiah | * | 38 | 5-10 | 4-8 | 4-4 | 0-3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 18 |
| 21 | Avila, Robbie | * | 33 | 3-4 | 2-2 | 10-12 | 0-8 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 18 |
| 24 | Jimerson, Gibson | * | 40 | 4-12 | 2-10 | 1-1 | 0-3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
| 08 | Johnson, Kobe | * | 32 | 2-3 | 1-2 | 2-2 | 1-3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| 06 | Anya, Kalu | * | 28 | 3-6 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 1-4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| 14 | Brockhoff, Kilian | 6 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 00 | Thames, Kellen | 9 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 35 | Pikaar, Max | 8 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 33 | Warlick, Dylan | 6 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| TM | TEAM | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals | – | 200 | 17-37 | 9-23 | 19-23 | 4-22 | 26 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 5 | 9 | 62 |
VCU 78
| ## | Player | GS | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | ORB-DRB | REB | PF | A | TO | BLK | STL | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | Bamisile,Joe | * | 30 | 8-17 | 4-9 | 3-3 | 1-2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 23 |
| 04 | Clark,Jack | * | 34 | 5-9 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 3-1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 |
| 11 | Shulga,Max | * | 32 | 4-10 | 1-4 | 2-2 | 0-3 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 11 |
| 01 | Russell,Phillip | * | 24 | 2-9 | 1-7 | 1-1 | 0-1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| 09 | Bamgboye,Luke | * | 15 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 4-0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 00 | Jennings,Brandon | 14 | 4-6 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 2-4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 10 | |
| 21 | Fermin,Christian | 23 | 4-7 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 3-0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
| 08 | Belle,Michael | 6 | 3-4 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 2-1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | |
| 02 | Jackson,Zeb | 22 | 0-8 | 0-5 | 2-2 | 3-2 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| TM | TEAM | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 4-2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals | – | 200 | 30-72 | 10-33 | 8-10 | 22-16 | 38 | 17 | 18 | 10 | 2 | 14 | 78 |
2024-25 SLU BILLIKENS MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | TV/Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 4, 2024 (Monday) | 2 pm | Neutral | Santa Clara | Sioux Falls, S.D. | L 85-78 (0-1) |
| November 10, 2024 (Sunday) | 3 pm | Home | Avila | Chaifetz Arena | W 95-44 (1-1) |
| November 16, 2024 (Saturday) | 7 pm | Home | Loyola Marymount | Chaifetz Arena | W 77-71 (2-1) |
| November 22, 2024 (Friday) | 9:30 pm | Neutral | Wichita State | Kansas City, Mo. (T-Mobile Center) | L 88-63 (2-2) |
| November 25, 2024 (Monday) | 7 pm | Home | Quinnipiac | Chaifetz Arena | W 81-67 (3-2) |
| November 27, 2024 (Wednesday) | 7 pm | Home | UMass Lowell | Chaifetz Arena | W 93-90 (4-2) |
| December 2, 2024 (Monday) | 7 pm | Home | Jackson State | Chaifetz Arena | W 74-66 (5-2) |
| December 5, 2024 (Thursday) | 9 pm | Away | San Francisco | San Francisco, Calif. (War Memorial) | L 78-61 (5-3) |
| December 8, 2024 (Sunday) | 2 pm | Home | Chicago State | Chaifetz Arena | W 85-62 (6-3) |
| December 15, 2024 (Sunday) | 4 pm | Away | Illinois State | Normal, Ill. (CEFCU Arena) | L 81-77 (6-4) |
| December 18, 2024 (Wednesday) | 7 pm | Home | Wofford | Chaifetz Arena | L 74-71 (6-5) |
| December 22, 2024 (Sunday) | 3 p.m. | Away | Grand Canyon | Phoenix, Ariz. (Global Credit Union Arena) | L73-72 (6-6) |
| December 28, 2024 (Saturday) | 7 pm | Home | William Woods | Chaifetz Arena | W 78-57 (7-6) |
| December 31, 2024 (Tuesday) | 1 pm | Away | Fordham | New York, N.Y. (Rose Hill Gym) | W 88-63 (8-6) |
| January 3, 2025 (Friday) | 8 pm | Home | Saint Joseph’s | Chaifetz Arena | W 73-57 (9-6) |
| January 8, 2025 (Wednesday) | 7 pm | Home | St. Bonaventure | Chaifetz Arena | W 73-68 (10-6) |
| January 14, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6 pm | Away | VCU | Richmond, Va. (Siegel Center) | L 78-62 (10-7) |
| January 18, 2025 (Saturday) | 1:30 pm | Away | Richmond | Richmond, Va. (Robins Center) | USA Network |
| January 22, 2025 (Wednesday) | 7 pm | Home | La Salle | Chaifetz Arena |  |
| January 25, 2025 (Saturday) | 1 pm | Away | George Washington | Washington, D.C (Smith Center) | |
| January 28, 2025 (Tuesday) | 7 pm | Home | VCU | Chaifetz Arena | CBS Sports Network |
| January 31, 2025 (Friday) | 6 pm | Home | Dayton | Chaifetz Arena |  |
| February 4, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6 pm | Away | Massachusetts | Amherst, Mass. (Mullins Center) | |
| February 7, 2025 (Friday) | 8 pm | Away | Saint Joseph’s | Philadelphia, Pa. (Hagan Arena) | ESPN Networks |
| February 11, 2025 (Tuesday) | 7 pm | Home | George Mason | Chaifetz Arena | |
| February 14, 2025 (Friday) | 6 pm | Away | Loyola Chicago | Chicago, Ill. (Gentile Arena) | |
| February 22, 2025 (Saturday) | 1:30 pm | Home | Rhode Island | Chaifetz Arena | USA Network |
| February 25, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6 pm | Away | Davidson | Davidson, N.C. (Belk Arena) | |
| March 1, 2025 (Saturday) | 3 pm | Home | Loyola Chicago | Chaifetz Arena | CBS Sports Network |
| March 4, 2025 (Tuesday) | TBA | Away | Dayton | Dayton, Ohio (UD Arena) | |
| March 8, 2025 (Saturday) | 7 pm | Home | Duquesne | Chaifetz Arena | |
| March 12-16 | TBA | Neutral | Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament | Washington, D.C. (Capital One Arena) |