Red Storm Tops -/RV Creighton, 63-58

Sunday, January 19

QUEENS, N.Y. (CARNESECCA ARENA)

2 p.m.

St. John's University

12-7,5-3Big East

-/RV Creighton

12-6,4-3Big East

Creighton

St. John's (NY)

1/19/2020 6:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)POSTGAME QUOTES: St. John’s vs. Creighton Photo Gallery

Johnnies pick up fifth win in BIG EAST action

By: Victoria Lanza

Behind a stellar defensive effort, the St. John's women's basketball team topped -/RV Creighton, 63-58, picking up its fifth BIG EAST win on Sunday afternoon at Carnesecca Arena.

With a victory over the Bluejays, the Johnnies improve to 8-1 at home this season, the team's best start in Queens since the 2015-16 campaign. That season the Red Storm jumped out to a 9-1 record on its home hardwood before going on to capture the conference crown.

The Red Storm's defense held the Bluejays to 20-of-52 (38.5%) shooting from the field and just 33 percent (8-of-24) from distance.

St. John's (12-7, 5-3 BIG EAST) won the turnover battle against the visiting Bluejays (12-6, 4-3 BIG EAST), who ranked second in the nation for fewest turnovers per game entering Sunday's contest. The Johnnies forced 12 Creighton miscues while coughing up just 10 of their own.

Qadashah Hoppie paced the team in scoring once again in the triumph with 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the floor. The junior guard also had a perfect 3-for-3 showing from the charity stripe.

Alissa Alston joined Hoppie in double figures, finishing with 12 points on the afternoon. The New Haven, Conn., native also grabbed three boards and a pair of steals while dishing out a trio of dimes.

Alisha Kebbe finished just shy of a double-double with 11 points and nine boards. The senior guard also added a pair of blocks, an assist and a steal to her name on the stat sheet.

Creighton converted on its first two field-goal attempts to take an early 5-0 lead. The Johnnies responded, unleashing an 8-2 run to jump ahead, 8-7, with just under six minutes to play in the opening stanza.

The two programs traded blows over the next few minutes and with Creighton leading, 18-13, the Red Storm rattled off nine unanswered points to regain the lead, 22-18, after 10 minutes of action. Leilani Correa converted on a dagger from distance with three seconds on the clock to close out the Johnnies late first-quarter run.

In the opening seconds of the second frame, Kebbe made a drive to the glass, extending the Red Storm's run to 11-0. With St. John's leading, 24-18, Creighton began to chip away at the Johnnies' advantage, using a 6-0 surge to deadlock the score at 24.

The two programs battled back-and-forth over the remainder of the half, keeping the score within distance, as Creighton led, 32-31, at the intermission.

The Johnnies and the Bluejays continued the tightly contested battle in the third quarter. The frame saw four lead changes and three ties over 10 minutes with the score knotted at 48 entering the final frame.

Creighton kicked off the fourth quarter with four quick points to regain the lead, 52-48. That lit a fire within for the Johnnies as they responded by outscoring the Bluejays, 15-6, down the stretch.

The Red Storm will return to action on Sunday evening when the team travels to South Orange, N.J., for a 6:30 p.m. meeting with conference rival Seton Hall. The showdown between the Johnnies and the Pirates will air on FS1 as part of the league's all-access game.