COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP)—Tommie Liddell scored a team-high 26 points, 18 in the first half, and pulled down eight rebounds as St. Louis beat Louisiana Tech 87-65 in the first game of the inaugural Shelby Metcalf Classic on Friday.
The Billikens (2-0) went on a 23-5 run that stretched from the 5:30 mark in the first half to the 16:00 mark in the second half to pull away. They hit 56 percent from the field and made 12-of-16 3-pointers.
Louisiana Tech, playing its season opener, battled back from an early deficit to forge a tie 11-11 and keep the game competitive until the end of the first half.
Liddell hit 9-of-15 shots, including 3-of-4 from beyond the 3-point line.
Updated Friday, Nov 17, 2006
