ST. LOUIS (Interstat) — A surging Saint Louis squad, boasting one of the nation’s best records, will look to continue its dominance when it hosts a reeling Dayton team in a key Atlantic 10 Conference men’s basketball matchup Friday night at Chaifetz Arena. The Billikens (20-1) have won 12 straight games and are off to a program-best start. Their lone loss came in November. Dayton (14-6), once ranked in the AP Top 25, arrives having lost three consecutive games, including an overtime defeat to Rhode Island on Tuesday. The contrast in momentum is stark. Saint Louis has navigated a perfect January, winning its eight conference games by an average of 16 points. Dayton, meanwhile, has stumbled after a 4-0 start in A-10 play, with its last three losses coming by a combined 15 points. A pivotal matchup will feature two of the conference’s standout players. Saint Louis is led by forward Robbie Avila, a versatile offensive hub who averages 14.3 points and 4.6 assists. He is coming off a 22-point, 5-assist performance in a tight win over George Washington. Dayton will rely on guard De’Shayne Montgomery, who has been a bright spot during the skid. He logged 42 minutes and scored 14 points in the OT loss to Rhode Island, following a 19-point, 7-rebound effort at Saint Joseph’s. Montgomery averages 15.8 points per game in conference play. For Saint Louis, balance has been key. Alongside Avila, guard Trey Green leads the team in scoring (17.2 ppg) and dropped 23 points last time out. Dayton’s offense has sputtered, failing to reach 70 points in its last three losses after doing so in its first four A-10 wins. The Billikens won both meetings last season. This begins a critical home-and-home series, with the rematch scheduled for Feb. 24 at Dayton. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. EST Friday. The game will be televised on ESPN2.