QUEENS, N.Y. – The Villanova Wildcats traveled to New York on Saturday afternoon, where they fell to the St. John's Red Storm by a score of 71-58. With the setback, the Wildcats fall to 15-5 overall and 8-3 in BIG EAST play, while St. John's improves to 16-6 on the year and 6-5 in league action.
Leading 9-5 midway through the opening quarter, St. John's scored the final 13 points of the period to lead 22-5 after one quarter of play. Offensive efficiency was the difference in the game's first 10 minutes. The Red Storm connected on 9-of-17 from the field for 52.9 percent in the first quarter, while Villanova was just 2-of-11 for 18.8 percent.
St. John's picked-up where they left off to start the second quarter scoring the first four points to take a 26-5 advantage. Villanova ended a scoreless stretch that lasted over seven minutes when junior forward
Brynn McCurry drained a three-ball to make it a 26-8 game.
A
Brooke Bender three-point field pulled the Wildcats within 13 at 33-20 with 2:15 left until halftime. With Villanova trying to claw its way back in the game, the Red Storm scored seven of the final nine points of the second quarter to take a 40-22 advantage into halftime. Sa'Mya Wyatt scored the final four points of the half for St. John's on a driving lay-up and two free throws.
Villanova trailed 48-26 with 6:25 to play in the third quarter, when the Wildcats ran off seven straight points to slice the Red Storm lead to 48-33. The seven points included a three-ball and a lay-up by sophomore guard
Dani Ceseretti and a lay-up by McCurry. St. John's responded by scoring the next five points to push the lead back to 53-33.
St. John's controlled play throughout the fourth quarter, as Villanova never got closer than 13.
Senior
Ryanne Allen led Villanova in the loss with 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting, while sophomore guard
Jasmine Bascoe had 11 points and five assists. McCurry finished with 10 points.
St, John's was paced by Brooke Moore with 20 points and Beautiful Waheed who had 12 points and nine rebounds.
For the game, Villanova was 19-of-62 from the field (30.6%), 8-of-28 from three-point range (28.6%) and 12-of-15 from the foul line (80.0%), while St. John's shot 52.0 percent from the floor (26-of-50), 37.5 percent from behind the arc (3-of-8) and 88.9 percent from the charity stripe (16-of-18). The Red Storm owned a 40-23 advantage on the backboards.
Villanova returns to action on Tuesday, Jan. 27, when the Providence College Friars visit the Finneran Pavilion. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
