St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
(19-8, 8-6BE)
Villanova *
(10-17, 2-12BE)
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. John's | 29 | 28 | 57 |
| Villanova | 17 | 29 | 46 |
Red Storm Tames Wildcats At The Pavilion, 57-46
2/22/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 22, 2011
VILLANOVA, Pa. - St. John's women's basketball put a stop to Villanova's recent winning streak after a 57-46 victory over the Wildcats on Tuesday night at The Pavilion.
Four Red Storm players scored in double figures for the seventh time this season, led by senior Centhya "Coco" Hart and junior Da'Shena Stevens with 15 points each. Sophomore Nadirah McKenith put 12 points on the board, shooting a perfect 8-for-8 from the foul line and adding five assists. Classmate Shenneika Smith tallied her third double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Smith's 10 point-game was her third double-digit scoring effort in four games. Stevens scored in the double figures for the fifth-straight contest. McKenith's 12-point effort was her fifth-consecutive game with 10 or more points.
For Villanova, Laura Sweeney led with 10 points. Sarah Jones came close to double figures with nine.
In the second half, St. John's (19-8, 8-6 BIG EAST) led by as many as 14 points, but the Wildcats cut the lead to seven, 37-30, after Jones hit three-consecutive shots including a 3-pointer from the top of the arc at 13:17.
After the small Wildcat run, St. John's went back up 13 points on Villanova (10-17, 2-12 BIG EAST) with just over eight minutes left. In the final six minutes, St. John's sank 14 free throws to stay ahead by 10 for the rest of the game.
At the half, St. John's led 29-17, marking the sixth time this season the Red Storm has held an opponent to less than 18 points and the 11th time St. John's held an opponent to less than 22 points in the first period.
St. John's opened the game on a 13-3 run, holding Villanova to just one basket through the first nine minutes of play. Villanova was held scoreless for four minutes.
The scoring spree in the early part of the game helped St. John's to a 10-point cushion that the Red Storm held on to for most of the first half, leading 27-17 with just over two minutes left in the half.
A steal from McKenith led way to a layup from Hart as St. John's went into the halftime break ahead by 12. Stevens and Hart had already recorded double figures in the first half. St. John's held Villanova to just seven field goals in the first period.
Stevens scored seven points of the Red Storm's initial 13-3 run.
St. John's outscored Villanvoa in the paint, 30-16.
Up next, St. John's will return home on Feb. 26 to host Pittsburgh for "Rock The Red" Women In Sports Day, which will coincide with St. John's Senior Day, where the women's basketball team will celebrate the careers of seniors Hart and Sky Lindsay. Tip off is slated for 2 p.m. at Carnesecca Arena.
