St. John's University Athletics
Late Run Pushes St. John's Past Pitt 72-55
1/11/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 11, 2006
QUEENS, N.Y. - Monique McLean scored in double figures for the fourth time in five games, totaling a career-high 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting, to lead St. John's to its fourth straight win, 72-55 over Pittsburgh on Wednesday night. The Red Storm improved to 13-2, 6-0 at Carnesecca Arena and 3-1 in BIG EAST play with the win, while Pitt fell to 11-4 overall and 2-2 in the league.
For the ninth time this season, four players scored in double figures for St. John's, as Angela Clark (14 points and eight rebounds), Greeba Barlow (13) and Kia Wright (12) all reached double digits. McLean led the charge with 17 off the bench, as the Red Storm reserves outscored Pitt's bench 31-3. The freshman became the sixth different player to lead St. John's in scoring in a game this season.
St. John's got scores in four of its final five possessions of the first half and closed the period on a 9-2 run. McLean and Clark combined for all nine points, as the Red Storm took a 31-27 halftime lead. The two combined to hit on 8-of-9 shots from the field and scored 19 of the team's 31 points in a half that featured five ties and seven lead changes.
The game got physical in the second half, as St. John's got into the bonus with over 14 minutes to go in the period. Pitt hung around and took a 45-44 lead with 8:37 left on a jumper by Xenia Stewart, but St. John's responded with a 16-4 run over the next five minutes. The Red Storm knocked down 12-of-12 free throws over the deciding run and was a perfect 20-of-20 from the stripe in the period.
Stewart led the Panthers with 17 points, and center Marcedes Walker added 14 points and eight rebounds. Pitt shot just 29.5 percent from the floor (18-61) and 23.5 percent from 3-point range (4-17), as St. John's continued its defensive dominance at home. In six games at Carnesecca Arena this season, the Red Storm is holding opponents to 56.5 points per games.
Tiina Sten and Lisa Claxton each made strong contributions in limited time off the bench. Sten scored eight points and blocked two shots, and Claxton scored six points (all in the second half) and dished out a team-high four assists. In her last six games, Claxton has averaged 3.5 assists, despite playing only 18 minutes a night.
With a 3-1 record, St. John's is now off to its best start in BIG EAST play since 1998-99, when it also began the conference season 3-1. Next up for the streaking Red Storm are trips to No. 7/7 Connecticut on Saturday, Jan. 14, and Cincinnati on Wednesday, Jan. 18. The team's next home game will be the first of two played at Madison Square Garden, as it takes on Villanova on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 2:30 p.m.
