St. John’s to Compete in Paradise Jam

The St. John's women's basketball team tips off play at the Paradise Jam Thursday at 5:30 p.m. ET against Purdue inside the GUVI Sports & Fitness Center.

The Red Storm (2-0) will continue the three-game tournament on Friday with a showdown against former BIG EAST foe and No.2 ranked UConn (2-0) at 7:30 p.m. The Johnnies will then close out play with Ole Miss (3-1) on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

All three contests will be available to live stream at Flohoops.com, which is a subscription-based streaming service. Subscriptions to FloHoops are either $29.99 per month or $150 per year.

The Johnnies enter the three-game tournament undefeated on the season after claiming back-to-back road wins against Iona and Army.

A squad that was anchored by its defense throughout last season, the Red Storm has continued that trend this year, forcing a combined 46 turnovers in just two contests. The Johnnies have also done a tremendous job protecting the ball, surrendering just six turnovers in the team's most recent victory over Army last Friday.

Tiana England, the BIG EAST's leader in assists is coming off a 10-helper performance in St. John's contest with Army. In addition to her 10 dimes, England grabbed seven steals becoming the first player to record at least seven in a single contest since Aaliyah Lewis recorded that many against Seton Hall on Dec. 30, 2016. England's stellar performance earned her a spot on this week's BIG EAST Honor Roll.

Entering the tournament, the Red Storm has four players registering double-figures, including Preseason BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, Kadaja Bailey with 10.5 points per game. Senior guard Akina Wellere leads St. John's with 12.5 points per game. Most recently the Chicago native paced the team with 17 points, shooting 7-of-11 from the field against Army. Junior Alisha Kebbe and sophomore Qadashah Hoppie are also averaging in double-figures for the Johnnies with 10.0 points per game each.

The Red Storm begins play in a Thanksgiving Day tilt with Purdue at 5:30 p.m. The contest will mark the inaugural meeting between the two programs. The Boilermakers are coming off a 78-44 win over Purdue Fort Wayne last Sunday. Ae'Rianna Harris is the team's leading scorer, averaging 15.0 points per game. Harris is also pacing the squad in rebounds with 10.5.

St. John's talented roster will face its toughest test of the season when it squares off with No. 2 ranked UConn on Friday. The Huskies have an identical 2-0 record with the Red Storm and will showdown with Ole Miss prior to the two teams meeting. Most recently, the Huskies edged Vanderbilt, 80-42, in the Hall of Fame Women's Basketball Showcase last Saturday. Junior Crystal Dangerfield led the Huskies with 19 points while seniors Katie Lou Samuelson and Napheesa Collier each scored 15.

Thursday's contest with UConn will be an opportunity for the up-and-coming Red Storm to make a statement against an established nationally ranked program as St. John's looks for its first win over a ranked team since defeating then No.20 Seton Hall in 2016.

The Huskies and the Johnnies share a lengthy history, as this is the 58th all-time meeting between the two programs dating back to 1978. Former BIG EAST competitor UConn holds a 40-17 record over St. John's, winning the most recent contest, 70-54, in 2015. The Johnnies latest victory over UConn came in 2012 when former St. John's standout and current assistant coach Shenneika Smith made history with a last second three-pointer. The beyond the arc shot lifted St. John's to a 57-56 upset over then No. 2 Connecticut, snapping the Huskies' 99-game home court winning streak.

The Johnnies will wrap up the three-day tournament on Friday with a showdown against Ole Miss. This will mark the second all-time meeting between the two teams, with the Rebels winning the last contest, 62-56, in 1992.

The Rebels enter the tournament on the heels of 69-66 victory over Western Michigan on Sunday. This season, Crystal Allen leads Ole Miss with 18.0 points per game while La'Karis Salter leads the team in rebounds with 7.5 per contest.

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Players Mentioned

Kadaja Bailey

Tiana England

Alisha Kebbe

Akina Wellere

St. John's University Athletics