No. 24 Saint Louis survives late Duquesne surge, winning 81-77 for 12th straight victory

Billikens extend surge to 18-1 overall and remain unbeaten in Atlantic 10 play

PITTSBURGH — Saint Louis’ rapid rise through the first half of the season continued Tuesday night, but not without a scare. The No. 24 Billikens held off a late Duquesne rally to secure an 81-77 road win at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, pushing their winning streak to 12 games and improving to 18-1 overall and 6-0 in Atlantic 10 play.

The victory came one day after Saint Louis entered the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in five years, adding a new layer of scrutiny to a team that has built its profile on tempo, depth, and balanced scoring.

Balanced scoring carried Saint Louis, even as the lead shrank late

Saint Louis received 14 points apiece from Robbie Avila, Dion Brown and Trey Green. The Billikens built what became a 17-point second-half advantage before Duquesne surged back into the game, turning the final minutes into a possession-by-possession test.

Saint Louis finished with five players scoring in double figures, reinforcing a season-long trend: the Billikens have spread production across the rotation rather than leaning on a single high-usage scorer. That approach has helped them maintain a high offensive output while sustaining pressure through substitutions.

• Score: Saint Louis 81, Duquesne 77
• Saint Louis record: 18-1 overall, 6-0 Atlantic 10
• Duquesne record: 10-9 overall, 2-4 Atlantic 10
• Top scorers for Saint Louis: Avila, Brown, Green (14 each)

What the result means in the A-10 race and historically

At 6-0 in league play, Saint Louis has positioned itself at the front of the Atlantic 10 standings and strengthened a résumé that already includes consistent high-scoring performances. The win also kept the Billikens on pace for a start that would match the best in program history: the 1993-94 Saint Louis team’s opening run in the program’s 110-year history.

Saint Louis can tie the best start in the program’s 110-year history with a win Friday at St. Bonaventure.

Next game

Saint Louis’ schedule tightens quickly. The Billikens are set to play at St. Bonaventure on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, with a chance to reach a historic benchmark and extend their conference lead as the season moves deeper into league play.