ST. LOUIS — In a thrilling overtime battle, Saint Louis managed to edge out Duquesne with a 90-88 victory on Saturday night. Gibson Jimerson was instrumental for the Billikens, scoring a whopping 35 points, while Robbie Avila made a significant contribution by adding five of his 22 points in the critical overtime period.
A pivotal 3-pointer by Isaiah Swope for Saint Louis tied the game at 80-all with just 27 seconds remaining in regulation, pushing the contest into overtime. During the extra period, Avila’s impressive 3-pointer with only 36 seconds on the clock gave the Billikens a comfortable 90-85 lead. Although Duquesne’s Kareem Rozier sank a last-second 3-pointer at the buzzer, it was not enough to close the gap.
Jimerson also tallied eight rebounds for the Billikens (18-13, 11-7 Atlantic 10 Conference). Avila showcased his skill with a shooting performance of 8 out of 15, including 4 for 7 from three-point range. He also contributed seven rebounds, three steals, and three blocks to the team’s efforts. Swope finished the game with 17 points, hitting 7 out of 14 shots, and 3 out of 10 from 3-point land.
For the Dukes (13-18, 8-10), Tre Dinkins led the team with 16 points, six assists, and three steals. Support came from Jakub Necas with 14 points and two steals, and Cam Crawford who added 14 points along with four assists.
Jimerson’s effort, including his notable 16 points in the second half, was crucial in securing the narrow victory for Saint Louis.
