St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
1-2
No. 22 Miami
3-1
No. 22 Miami Outlasts St. John's, 62-50
11/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
QUEENS, N.Y. - Taking on the 22nd-ranked team in the nation, the St. John's women's basketball team dropped a hard-fought 62-50 decision to Miami at Carnesecca Arena Sunday night.
"I thought we played really well in stretches and had a tremendous third quarter," said Head Coach Joe Tartamella. "Unfortunately we found a way, for the second game in a row, to come up empty in the second half."
Sophomore Akina Wellere led all players with a career-high 19 points in 31 minutes of action. The Chicago, Ill., native hit 7-of-12 from the floor including 5-of-7 shots from behind the arc, both career-highs.
Maya Singleton tallied eight points in 22 minutes of play off the bench. The junior also grabbed four rebounds and came away with a pair of steals. Junior Imani Littleton pulled down a season-best eight boards and added two assists and two blocks in 22 minutes.
In the first quarter, the Hurricanes (3-1) jumped out to a 9-2 lead that was quickly erased after Wellere hit a jumper and a three in consecutive possessions. Singleton then tied the game at nine with a jumper in the paint. Later, Crystal Simmons went 1-for-2 from the line to cut Miami's lead to 13-12, but the Hurricanes scored the quarter's final three points to take a 16-12 lead into the second quarter.
In the second, St. John's (1-2) stayed within striking distance, getting within one (21-20) after Weller drained a three with 5:01 left in the half. Then, with the Hurricanes leading, 26-21, freshman Andrayah Adams hit a pair of free throws with less than a minute remaining to make it 26-23. Miami responded with a pair of free throws of its own to take a 28-23 lead into the locker room.
In the third, the Red Storm mounted a comeback. Trailing 31-26 early in the quarter, St. John's went on a 13-0 run to take a 39-31 lead with 4:01 left. Wellere fueled the spurt with a pair of threes. Singleton added three points, while Littleton and Aaliyah Lewis both added two points each.
Miami fought back to get within two (45-43), but Sandra Udobi hit a jumper with four seconds left to give the Red Storm a 47-43 lead entering the fourth.
The Hurricanes opened the fourth with a 7-0 run to take a 50-47 advantage midway through the quarter. From there, the Miami defense held the Red Storm to just three points in the final five minutes of the game as the Hurricanes came away with the 62-50 win.
St. John's returns to action when it takes part in the South Point Thanksgiving Shoot Out in Las Vegas. The Johnnies will take on Virginia on Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET before squaring off with Arizona State on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.
