Final Score: Saint Louis 60, VCU 55
Location: Richmond, Va. (Siegel Center)
Records: VCU 8-8 (3-3 A-10), Saint Louis 6-10 (2-2 A-10)
 
The short story: A hot-shooting Billikens team held off a furious fourth quarter run from VCU who overcame an 18-point deficit and had a chance to tie the game on its final possession.
 
OPENING TIP:

• Keowa Walters had her best game in a VCU uniform, collecting season highs of 13 points and seven rebounds
• Sarah Te-Biasu and Taya Robinson each contributed 14 points, while Janika Griffith-Wallace poured in 12 points and grabbed a team-high nine boards
• Saint Louis shot 50 percent (6-of-12) from 3-point range and 44.2 percent (23-of-52) from the floor overall, while VCU knocked down just 21.1% (4-of-19) of its threes, and 38.7% (24-of-62) of its total field goals
• The Billikens were led by Natalie McNeal who scored a game-high 15 points and seven rebounds

 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Rams opened the game on a 6-2 run, powered by a Robinson driving lay-up and a Griffith-Wallace steal and score.
• The Billikens responded with eight straight points and took a 17-14 lead after the first quarter.
• VCU went on a 13-2 run to open the second quarter, including the first seven points of the frame. During the run, Walters hit a turnaround jumper, followed by a Te-Biasu steal and lay-up, and a 3-pointer from Griffith-Wallace
• In a game of runs, Saint Louis responded again with a 12-0 run to close the first half and take a 31-27 lead into the locker room.
• The Billikens exploded in the third quarter, holding VCU scoreless for the last 6:20 of the period and scoring another 12 consecutive points to extend their lead to 49-34
• VCU began mounting its comeback three minutes into the fourth quarter, as Robinson scored four straight points after a Walters free throw. Fastbreak lay-ups from Griffith-Wallace, Te-Biasu, and Madison Hattix-Covington cut the lead to 56-50.
• After a pair of Saint Louis free throws, a Griffith-Wallace three and a Robinson lay-up got the lead down to 58-55.
• The Rams got a final possession to tie the game after the Billikens missed a pair of free throws, but could not get a three-pointer to fall.

 
UP NEXT
VCU starts a stretch of three road games in six days by facing Rhode Island on Sunday, Jan. 30 at noon from Kingston, R.I. on CBS Sports Network. Rhody is in first place in the A-10 with a 5-0 conference record.