St. John's University Athletics

St. John’s Outlasted at No. 21/21 Creighton, 67-56
12/30/2023 7:46:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Jillian Archer finishes with a season-high 19 points
OMAHA, Neb.– The St. John's women's basketball team fell at No. 21/21 Creighton on Saturday afternoon in Omaha, 67-56.
The Bluejays heated up from long-distance in the third quarter shooting 5-of-6 from deep in the and pulled away to claim a victory in the final contest of 2023. Creighton's Lauren Jensen led all scorers with 20 points.
St. John's with the loss falls to 1-1 in the BIG EAST and 7-7 on the year.
Jillian Archer had a strong day at D.J. Sokol Arena logging a season-high 19 points on an efficient 7-of-10 shooting. Archer's point total matched the highest of her St. John's career when she tallied 19 in a win over Iona on Dec. 8, 2022. The graduate student also chipped in seven boards.
The team's leading scorer Unique Drake tallied 16 points in Omaha and made a 3-pointer for the 13th time in 14 games. Drake made seven shots from the floor and finished with a team-high three assists.
Tara Daye registered a near double-double ending the game with a season-high eight points and nine rebounds. The sophomore shot a perfect 3-for-3 from the floor.
The Red Storm outrebounded the Bluejays, 39-29 on Saturday. Four St. John's players recorded five boards or more.
In the first quarter, Archer got off to a quick start sinking a pair of lay-ups to take the Johnnies first lead of the game. Drake hit her 40th triple of the season to grab a 10-9 edge. Ber'Nyah Mayo finished with a euro step in the lane to make it a one-point game with just six seconds on the clock before Kennedy Townsend drilled a near half-court shot to make it 16-12 after one.
In the second frame after St. John's got within one, 16-15, the Bluejays began to gradually grow the lead. Creighton's leading scorer Emma Ronsiek buried a triple to bring the lead to double-digits, 31-21 in the final minute of the half. Drake finished a lay-in for the final Red Storm bucket of the half before Creighton sunk another buzzer beater this one a mid-range from Molly Mogensen to regain a 10-point lead, 33-23, heading into the half.
In the latter half, the Bluejays expanded their advantage to as many as 15, 40-25. Archer brought the run to a halt with a solo 5-0 run that included a big and one on a dish from Skye Owen. A second Archer and one brought the deficit back into single digits and had the Johnnies trailing by eight, 47-39. The momentum quickly evaporated after a pair of Creighton 3-pointers responded with a 6-0 run. The Bluejays nailed a trio of 3-pointers in the final 1:23 to carry a 56-41 lead into the final 10 minutes.
During the fourth quarter, St. John's started off on a 7-2 spurt. Drake made a pair of baskets before Owen hit a corner triple to cut the deficit to 10, 58-48. Creighton responded and never allowed the Johnnies to climb within single digits. Archer sunk a pair of free-throws to tie her highest point total at St. John's. In the final quarter, the Red Storm outscored Creighton, 15-11.
The Red Storm will be back in action against another ranked BIG EAST foe, when it welcomes No. 18/18 Marquette on Wednesday night in Queens at 7 p.m.
The Bluejays heated up from long-distance in the third quarter shooting 5-of-6 from deep in the and pulled away to claim a victory in the final contest of 2023. Creighton's Lauren Jensen led all scorers with 20 points.
St. John's with the loss falls to 1-1 in the BIG EAST and 7-7 on the year.
Jillian Archer had a strong day at D.J. Sokol Arena logging a season-high 19 points on an efficient 7-of-10 shooting. Archer's point total matched the highest of her St. John's career when she tallied 19 in a win over Iona on Dec. 8, 2022. The graduate student also chipped in seven boards.
The team's leading scorer Unique Drake tallied 16 points in Omaha and made a 3-pointer for the 13th time in 14 games. Drake made seven shots from the floor and finished with a team-high three assists.
Tara Daye registered a near double-double ending the game with a season-high eight points and nine rebounds. The sophomore shot a perfect 3-for-3 from the floor.
The Red Storm outrebounded the Bluejays, 39-29 on Saturday. Four St. John's players recorded five boards or more.
In the first quarter, Archer got off to a quick start sinking a pair of lay-ups to take the Johnnies first lead of the game. Drake hit her 40th triple of the season to grab a 10-9 edge. Ber'Nyah Mayo finished with a euro step in the lane to make it a one-point game with just six seconds on the clock before Kennedy Townsend drilled a near half-court shot to make it 16-12 after one.
In the second frame after St. John's got within one, 16-15, the Bluejays began to gradually grow the lead. Creighton's leading scorer Emma Ronsiek buried a triple to bring the lead to double-digits, 31-21 in the final minute of the half. Drake finished a lay-in for the final Red Storm bucket of the half before Creighton sunk another buzzer beater this one a mid-range from Molly Mogensen to regain a 10-point lead, 33-23, heading into the half.
In the latter half, the Bluejays expanded their advantage to as many as 15, 40-25. Archer brought the run to a halt with a solo 5-0 run that included a big and one on a dish from Skye Owen. A second Archer and one brought the deficit back into single digits and had the Johnnies trailing by eight, 47-39. The momentum quickly evaporated after a pair of Creighton 3-pointers responded with a 6-0 run. The Bluejays nailed a trio of 3-pointers in the final 1:23 to carry a 56-41 lead into the final 10 minutes.
During the fourth quarter, St. John's started off on a 7-2 spurt. Drake made a pair of baskets before Owen hit a corner triple to cut the deficit to 10, 58-48. Creighton responded and never allowed the Johnnies to climb within single digits. Archer sunk a pair of free-throws to tie her highest point total at St. John's. In the final quarter, the Red Storm outscored Creighton, 15-11.
The Red Storm will be back in action against another ranked BIG EAST foe, when it welcomes No. 18/18 Marquette on Wednesday night in Queens at 7 p.m.
Team Stats
SJU
CU
FG%
.407
.424
3FG%
.200
.417
FT%
.714
.875
RB
39
29
TO
10
7
STL
3
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Players Mentioned
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