Evans leads Saint Louis over Texas A&M

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Welcome to college basketball in November, where the difference from one game to the next is as opposite as night and day.

Bouncing back after an embarrassing performance against Santa Clara at home last Wednesday, the Saint Louis Billikens demolished Texas A&M 70-49 on Monday night in the semifinals of the CBE Classic in Kansas City.

“They were more physical than us,” Aggies head coach Bill Kennedy said following the loss. “You could tell they had veterans on the floor.

“They did a really good job of moving the ball but I thought defensively they gave us problems and forced us into taking some quick shots. They are a very good basketball team.”

After missing the first two games of the season nursing a knee injury, Saint Louis senior Cory Remekun made an immediate impact upon his return. The 6-foot-8 forward scored 12 points in 28 minutes of action, but his presence was felt far more than just numbers in a box score.

“I thought having Remekun back really helped us,” Saint Louis head coach Jim Crews said. “He gives us energy, and gives us knowledge out there in a lot of ways. He has done a great job for us.”

The Billikens team that showed up in Kansas City had little resemblance to the one that limped off the floor last Wednesday in St. Louis. The offense clicked. The defense was tenacious. The energy was overflowing.

Although for Saint Louis forward Dwayne Evans, it took a little extra time to get going. But once he did, he couldn’t be stopped.

After being relegated to the bench for all but five minutes of the first half due to two quick fouls, Evans came out with a calculated relentlessness in the second 20 minutes. Scoring 19 of his game-high 21 points after intermission, the 6-foot-5 junior needed little motivation following an early mental lapse.

“I feel like I kind of let my team down in the first half,” Evans said. “I got two quick fouls that were just not necessary, so I wanted to come out in the second half and bring my team energy and just do the things that they expect me to do.”

It was all about getting back to the basics for Saint Louis. From the opening possession of the game, it was clear the Billikens were intent on getting back to what made them successful: a methodical offense mixed with unrelenting defense.

“They were just being physical and we were not making the smart decisions,” said Texas A&M guard Elston Turner, who led the way for the Aggies with 16 points. “We were Forcing shots and just making non-basketball plays and when you do that you will get yourself in a hole.”

The Saint Louis offense was patient. The defense was active. The energy was contagious.

“We got back to doing things the way we practice them,” said Evans. “We got away from that and got a little individual oriented in the Santa Clara game and today we had a bunch of assists and on defense it showed, we were playing as a team.”

The Billikens defense forced 19 turnovers that led to 26 points, while the offense tallied 17 assists on 25-49 shooting.

The guards for Saint Louis came to play, providing a dynamic mix of productivity.

Mike McCall finished with 13 points, Jordair Jett registered eight assists and Jake Barnett chipped in with six rebounds while drawing praise from his coach for a solid all-around effort.

“I thought Jake played real well,” Crews said.  “I see he didn’t make a bucket, but I thought he played well defensively. He grabbed some rebounds and gave us some good direction in situations, so it was great to see.”

Overcoming a tough loss was a step in the right direction for a team well aware of the rigors of a college basketball season, a step that Jim Crews kept it in perspective. 

“These guys have been very resilient with a lot of adversity this year,” Crews said. “We have had more than our share in a lot of different situations. But it is what it is, and these guys understand that. We can only do the things that we can do.”

Harassing defense. Fluent offense. High-octane energy.

Those are the things the Billikens can do.

Next up for Saint Louis is a date with Kansas in the championship game of the CBE Classic after the Jayhawks rolled Washington State 78-41 in the second game of the night. Tip is set for 8:30 CT.

NOTES: Saint Louis sophomore forward Grandy Glaze left the game with a dislocated shoulder. His availability for the game on Tuesday is doubtful. Freshman guard Keith Carter is also expected to miss the game due to a foot injury.