St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
16-12, 4-11
Rutgers
18-10, 9-6
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rutgers | 28 | 37 | 65 |
| St. John's | 22 | 26 | 48 |
Rutgers Tops St. John's, 65-48
2/28/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 28, 2009
QUEENS, N.Y. - The St. John's women's basketball team played Rutgers close and got double-digit scoring efforts from Da'Shena Stevens and Kelly McManmon, but the Scarlet Knights pulled away at the end for the 65-48 win on Saturday afternoon at Carnesecca Arena.
The contest was designated as the Red Storm's Pink Zone game, where various promotional items were given away to raise breast cancer awareness and numerous fundraising efforts were held to raise money for the Kay Yow/WBCA Breast Cancer Fund. The stands were filled with pink, as the first 500 fans received free St. John's Pink Zone t-shirts. Prior to the start of the game, players Kristin Moore and Monique McLean, along with managers Quinn Evans and Shaniece Heath, were honored in a senior day presentation.
Stevens led the Red Storm in scoring for the seventh time this season with a game-high 17 points. The rookie was 6-of-18 from the field and 5-of-9 from the free throw line. She also grabbed a team-high six rebounds. McManmon posted her 15th double-figure scoring effort of the year with 11 points. The senior was 4-of-9 from the field and 3-of-8 from long distance.
It was a close game from the start, as the lead changed hands three times in the opening five minutes. The teams went back and forth until the Scarlet Knights (18-10, 9-6 BIG EAST) went ahead 26-17. St. John's (16-12, 4-11 BIG EAST) responded by scoring five unanswered points, capped by McManmon's 3-pointer, to come within four, 26-22, at 2:19.
The Red Storm continued to play RU close in the second half and came within three when Stevens nailed a 14-foot jumper at 18:36. The Scarlet Knights responded with a 10-2 run over the next five minutes to take an 11-point lead, 39-28. After RU went ahead by 15, STJ rallied and came within eight points, but could not come any closer.
St. John's will wrap up its regular-season schedule when it travels to face Pittsburgh on Monday at 7 p.m. The Red Storm will then head to the BIG EAST Tournament March 6-10 at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn.
