St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
8-12,2-7
Villanova*
15-5,5-4
St. John's Falls to Villanova 63-50
2/5/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 5, 2004
JAMAICA, N.Y. - The St. John's women's basketball team fell 63-50 to the Villanova Wildcats this evening in BIG EAST action at Alumni Hall. With the loss, the Red Storm fall to 8-12 overall and 2-7 in the conference. The win improves the Wildcats' record to 15-4 overall and 5-4 in the BIG EAST.
Villanova, who connected on 8-of-13 from beyond the arc in the second half and 12 total threes, used their long-distance game in the second half to go on a 17-4 run and put the game out of reach for St. John's.
In the early minutes of the first half, the two teams played to a 4-4 tie before Angie Clark (Copiague, N.Y.) hit the second of two free throws to give St. John's their first lead, a slim 5-4 advantage. Nora Gyuris (Pecs, Hungary) hit a shot on the next play to put the Red Storm up by three with under 16 minutes remaining in the first. The Wildcats responded with a jumper, but a three from the top of the key by senior Kati Kurtosi (Miskolc, Hungary) and a lay-up by Danielle Chambers (Brooklyn, N.Y.) extended the St. John's lead to 12-7.
Jenna Viani's three-pointer for Villanova with nine minutes remaining knotted the score at 15. The two teams traded baskets for the next four possessions before a made three and a jumper from the top of the key by Jennifer Hilgenberg put the Wildcats back up 24-19. Chambers' jumper ended Villanova's 5-0 run, but the Wildcats scored on the next possession to go back up by five with two minutes to play. Reka Szavuly (Miskolc, Hungary) sank two free throws to close out the period and cut the Wildcats' halftime lead to 26-23.
Shemika Stevens (New York, N.Y.) opened scoring in the second half and Clark added a free throw to force the games' sixth tie. The Wildcats responded once again, as Liad Suez's jumper on the next possession kicked off a 7-0 run by Villanova. Clark ended the run with a jumper, but the Wildcats held onto the lead, extending their run to a 17-4 slant, and took a 43-30 lead.
St. John's chipped away at the lead and pulled within seven when MacMillan's drove to the basket and connected on a lay-up while getting fouled. The graduate student guard sank the single free throw, making the score 48-41. Villanova's Jenna Viani responded with a three, but MacMillan and Clark combined for four-straight Red Storm points, cutting the Wildcats' lead to six with 6:26 remaining.
Jennifer Hilgenberg sank a three on the next Villanova possession, kicking off another 7-0 run, which was snapped by Chambers' two free throws. Villanova's Suez answered with five-straight points to ice the game for the Wildcats, who held on to win 63-50.
St. John's was led by Clark's 14 points. Chambers chipped in 10 points and a team-high seven rebound off the bench for the Red Storm. Suez led all scorers with 16 points for Villanova and Kelly Nash added 12.
St. John's out rebounded the Wildcats 36-28, but committed 17 turnovers to Villanova's 11.
The Red Storm return to action on Sunday, February 8, 2004 when they host BIG EAST foe Providence. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
