SLU was crisp in the first half with 12 assists leading to the team’s 12 field goals. But that was when the Billikens weren’t committing one of their 10 first-half turnovers that allowed the Rams to take a halftime lead.

In the second half the Billikens strayed from the offensive script during the decisive stretch and couldn’t keep pace with guard Ace Baldwin Jr., who scored 37 points in VCU’s 73-65 win at sold-out Chaifetz Arena.

“We were running stuff to get good shots and got the ball where we wanted it,” SLU coach Travis Ford said. “Their defense picked up and we started forcing things rather than moving the ball. I hoped we had learned from the last game, but we had guys try to take it over by themselves and it just didn’t work.”

Ford bemoaned SLU’s dramatic swings in execution and “drastic highs and lows that are not a recipe for success.” He said he addressed players after the game about needing more production from those he has “given a long rope.”

The inability to play 40 minutes of offense or even begin to slow Baldwin left the Billikens (15-8 overall, 7-3 in the A-10) in a tie for second place and in a crowd of teams competing for a top-four spot in the conference.

SLU was able to overcome the early turnovers to regain the lead in the second half, but a poor performance in the final 10 minutes — similar to the previous loss at Fordham — was not a winning formula.

“I don’t think we reverted to too much one-on-one, just credit them with playing good defense,” SLU guard Gibson Jimerson said. “We might have taken some tough shots, but we have guys who make tough shots.

“The (14) turnovers were not great but not terrible. … The last two games teams pressured us and we haven’t done the best job handling that. We will be able to do that moving forward.”

The opportunities for learning and improving are dwindling with eight games remaining in the regular season. Some of the issues are season-long. Ford suggested that he might need to alter playing time for some if contributions don’t match playing time.

“I’ve given some guys a lot of leeway, and they’ve got to produce,” Ford said. “We just have an issue with really good play and really bad play. … It’s really kind of hard to win that way. You don’t know what to expect. And that’s on me. Either I’ve got to move on or people have to start producing on a more consistent basis.”

Baldwin carried VCU most of the game, making 12 of 15 shots and all nine of his free throws to top his previous career-high of 28 points. He scored 12 points in the final six minutes when the game was decided.

The Billikens had only five field goals in the last 10 minutes. They forced 3-pointers and layups in the final five minutes and had two turnovers. For the game, VCU scored 17 points off SLU turnovers, most of that coming in the first half.

“It was so disappointing and wasn’t because of their pressure,” Ford said. “It was just carelessness, being casual. We were very nonchalant and casual.”

The Billikens also attempted a season-low eight free throws.

“We were open at first, but they weren’t fouling us either,” senior Javonte Perkins said. “In the post they let us go up with it. They didn’t contest a lot of layups and didn’t foul too much. Not getting to the line is about not being aggressive enough.”

Yuri Collins, who had an unproductive first half, found a spark on both ends in the second and had 11 assists. He assisted seven of SLU’s first nine field goals in the second half and had a steal that led to a breakaway layup.

But SLU was getting into foul trouble and put VCU in the bonus with 12 minutes left. Francis Okoro picked up his third and had to sit. Jake Forrester was productive offensively until picking up his fourth and having to leave.

VCU was able to regain the lead with free throws, making eight of 10 to get to a 55-52 lead that the Rams never lost.