ST. LOUIS — Javonte Perkins scored a game-high 21 points and Jordan Goodwin registered his seventh double-double of the season to lead Saint Louis to a 77-67 victory over Bethune-Cookman Sunday night at Chaifetz Arena.
The Billikens concluded the nonconference season 11-2, tying the 2013-14 (13-2) and 2011-12 (12-2) teams for fewest number of nonconference losses this decade. Bethune-Cookman, a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, fell to 6-8.
Perkins did much of his damage from the foul line, going 10-of-14 as part of SLU's 27-of-38 performance. The 27 made free throws are the Billikens' season-high.
Goodwin (8-of-11 free throws) scored 14 points, secured a team-high 16 rebounds and tied Yuri Collins for game-high assist honors (five).
Hasahn French connected on 7-of-10 from the field and scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half. French added six rebounds and three blocks. Tay Weaver was 3-of-6 from 3-point range for nine points, while Jimmy Bell Jr. netted eight points.
Saint Louis matched its season-low of seven turnovers and outscored Bethune-Cookman 15-4 in points off turnovers.
Wali Parks led Bethune-Cookman with 16 points and four assists. Cletrell Pope scored 11 points and grabbed 19 rebounds, a Chaifetz Arena record by a Billiken opponent. Leon Redd and Houston Smith tallied 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The Billikens were clinging to a 50-49 lead when they began a 15-2 spurt that put them in command. Weaver buried consecutive 3-pointers that bumped the margin from seven to 13 points, 64-51, and a Goodwin free throw concluded the run and gave SLU its largest lead of the night.
Bethune-Cookman narrowed the gap to eight, 72-64, with 2:15 remaining, but the Wildcats were held without a field goal the rest of the way.
Saint Louis built a 12-3 first-half lead, only to see Bethune-Cookman rattle off a 15-3 flurry to go in front 18-15 with 9:13 left. However, the Billikens outscored the Panthers 20-10 the rest of the half and carried a 35-28 advantage to the locker room.
Bethune-Cookman rallied to lead by a point twice early in the second half. A Perkins triple at the 13:33 mark put SLU on top for good, 45-42.
The Billikens begin Atlantic 10 Conference play Thursday, Jan. 2, at Duquesne. The game tips at 6 p.m. (CST) and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
