Palm Desert, California – Kellen Thames made a stunning shot with just nine seconds left, leading the Billikens to a nail-biting 71-70 win over Santa Clara at the Acrisure Invitational.
The Billikens now stand undefeated at 6-0, while this was Santa Clara’s first loss of the season, dropping them to 6-1.
Next up, Saint Louis will face Stanford on Friday at 6 p.m. CT (4 p.m. PT). Stanford recently triumphed over Minnesota, winning 72-68.
Trey Green was the standout player for the Billikens, scoring 21 points and hitting 6-of-13 from deep. Dion Brown notably scored all 13 of his points in the second half.
Thames shot perfectly, going 5-of-5. He also grabbed eight rebounds and stood out with a +11 plus/minus rating.
With a minute left, Santa Clara held a slim lead. After a turnover from the Billikens, they made a critical defensive stop. Quentin Jones drove down the court and found Thames in the corner. Thames created a dazzling layup around a defender, putting SLU ahead by one. Santa Clara quickly responded but missed their jumper, allowing SLU to seal the win.
The game was intense, with neither team able to stretch their lead beyond one possession in the last 10 minutes. Santa Clara led 35-31 at halftime, with Green contributing 12 of those points, shooting 4-of-7 from beyond the arc.
Looking at recent trends, tight finishes like this have been common in college basketball. According to a recent NCAA report, games decided by five points or fewer have increased over the last few seasons, showing how competitive teams have become. Fans engaged on social media as well, expressing their excitement and surprise at the game’s final moments—a reminder of just how thrilling college basketball can be.
Notably, as seen in this match, teamwork and adaptability can greatly impact game outcomes. A recent survey from the NCAA showed that strong second-half performances often correlate with team resilience and effective coaching strategies.
For more updates on college basketball, you can check out reliable sources like [NCAA.com](https://www.ncaa.com) for statistics and highlights.
