The Saint Louis University Women’s Basketball Team won their first home game of the 2017-18 season in a low-scoring game against the Little Rock Trojans with a final score of 48-45 last Friday. The win brings the Billikens’ season record to 4-5. Senior Jackie Kemph led the Billikens in scoring for the sixth time this seasonwith 11 points and senior Maddison Gits earned her third
double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

The game started with SLU controlling the tip followed by six consecutive possessions with no score until Little Rock scored first. The score was only 8-6 in favor of Little Rock after the first quarter of play. Kemph sunk a buzzer-beater going into the half down just two.

The Billikens had a big advantage at the free-throw line shooting .78 making 14 of 18 attempts compared to the Trojans 7 for 15 (.47). Free throws played a big role in the game as the minutes ticked away because SLU trailed by eight going into the fourth quarter.

The game was tied three times in the last quarter before Kemph made what turned out to be the game-winning field goal with just 18 seconds left in the game. Little Rock turned the ball over into the hands of junior Jordyn Frantz who was fouled and converted a free throw to give the Billikens a three-point lead that held for the final buzzer.

Little Rock controlled the lead for 26:51 compared to just 4:33 for Saint Louis. SLU’s largest lead of the game was just three points which didn’t come until just .05 seconds were remaining in the game. The women are next in action in Pullman, Wash. against Washington State University on Monday, Dec. 4 followed by a match-up in Columbia, Mo. against Mizzou on Friday, Dec. 8.

The Saint Louis University Women’s Basketball team traveled to Pullman, last Monday night. The Billikens were coming off a win at home, but were unable to carry the momentum into a win and ended up falling to the Cougars, 85-63. The loss brings their season record to 4-6.

Senior Paige Rakers led the offense for the Billikens with a career-high 14 points shooting five for eight overall and two for three in 3-point attempts. Jenny Vliet and Aaliyah Covington also scored double digit points, both with 12, in the contest. Junior Tara Dusharm grabbed a careerhigh eight rebounds. Jackie Kemph led the team in assists with four, followed closely by freshman Tasia Jeffries with three.

Washington State was able to get a 9-1 edge early in the game and never lost the lead in the game. The closest margin the Billikens were able to achieve was just four points, twice in the contest. At the half, the Cougars led 39-26, but they were able to get a double-digit lead over the Billikens with just under seven minutes remaining in the game, and held on to that for the remainder of the game. In the fourth quarter,
the Billikens were able to come with 13 points of the Cougars, but soon Washington State jumped to a 15-4 run giving them a commanding lead in the dwindling minutes of the game.

The team remains on the road for Friday’s game in Columbia, Mo. at Mizzou for an in-state rivalry matchup. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. The next home game for the Women’s Basketball team is on Sunday, Dec. 17 at 2:00 p.m. against Lipscomb University.