St. John’s Falls to Villanova, 74-65, in BIG EAST Opener

Sunday, December 6

Queens, N.Y. (Carnesecca Arena)

7:00 PM

St. John's University

2-1,0-1Big East

Villanova University

4-0,1-0Big East

Villanova

St. John's (NY)

St. John's walks back on the floor following a timeout

Farley connects on the turnaround jumper for two

Zabrecky sets up a play at the top of the key

Drake gets a rebound and takes the ball up the floor

St. John’s Falls to Villanova, 74-65, in BIG EAST Opener

12/6/2020 10:18:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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

Leilani Correa finishes with 21 points in Red Storm setback

By: Victoria Lanza

The St. John's women's basketball team dropped its first contest of the season on Sunday evening at the hands of BIG EAST foe Villanova, 74-65, at Carnesecca Arena.

Leilani Correa paced the Red Storm (2-1, 0-1 BIG EAST), recording 21 points, marking the first time this season that the Manchester, N.J., native has eclipsed the 20-point plateau. Correa also registered a team-best four thefts.

Raven Farley finished in double figures for the second time this season, recording 12 points on a 5-of-8 shooting from the floor. The senior forward also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.

Unique Drake fell just shy of double-digits, tallying nine points to go along with two rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

Rayven Peeples and Kadaja Bailey each pulled down six boards apiece for the Johnnies.

Villanova (4-0, 1-0 BIG EAST) won the tip but the Red Storm's stout defense carried over its momentum from Tuesday's game, forcing an early Wildcats' turnover. Correa opened up the scoring for the two teams with a drive to the glass, giving St. John's an early 2-0 lead.

The Johnnies and Wildcats traded blows over the next minute before the Red Storm unleashed a 10-1 run to take a seven-point edge, 12-5, at the 3:36 mark.

Both teams went scoreless over the next two minutes before Villanova snapped the scoring drought with a minute and a half remaining in the quarter. The visiting Wildcats used a 7-0 run down the stretch to knot the score at 12 after 10 minutes of action.

Villanova extended its run to 12-0, building its advantage to five, 17-12, a minute into the second stanza. Emma Nolan snapped the Johnnies' scoring drought at the 7:34 mark, converting from deep to pull St. John's back within two, 17-15. The Johnnies continued to chip away at Villanova's lead getting within one, 20-19, before the Wildcats converted on a trio of triples, growing their lead to seven, 29-22, with just over three minutes remaining in the half.

The two programs went back-and-forth over the final few minutes with the Wildcats leading by five, 33-28, at the intermission.

Villanova opened up the third quarter on a 7-2 run to take a double-digit lead, 40-30, forcing the Johnnies to call a timeout. Coming out of the huddle Correa made a drive to the rim, cutting the Red Storm's deficit down to eight, 40-32.

With St. John's back within single digits, Villanova went on an 11-0 tear to take a 19-point lead for its largest of the evening, 51-32. St. John's continued to grind it out, using a 12-4 run over the final 4:25 to get back within 10, 55-44, entering the final frame.

The Johnnies' grit shined through in the last 10 minutes of regulation as the home team continued to put up a fight. The Red Storm whittled the visiting team's lead down to six, 71-65, before the Wildcats put the game to bed with a shot from beyond the arc.