Published: November 28, 2006
QUEENS, N.Y.
The St. John’s men’s basketball team cranked up the defensive
intensity and got back to doing what it does best on Tuesday,
smothering LIU into shooting 29.5 percent from the field and
posting a 64-46 victory before 3,840 at Carnesecca Arena.
The Red Storm (3-3) forced 20 LIU turnovers, held the Blackbirds
(2-3) to 19 first-half points and limited them to a 17.4 percent
mark from 3-point range for the game. As a team, St. John’s
finished second in the BIG EAST last season in scoring defense
(60.4 points per game allowed), field goal percentage defense
(.394) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (.322), but has
struggled on the defensive end in recent losses.
“I thought we came out and played with a lot of energy and our
defense was much better,” said St. John’s head coach Norm Roberts.
“We did a decent job getting to loose balls and rebounding. I told
the guys before the game that there are certain things you can't
control, but we can control our energy level and our focus. When we
come out and do that, we can be successful.”
Anthony Mason Jr. scored in double-figures for a career-high
fourth-straight game, leading the Red Storm with 15 points to go
along with five boards and three steals. Twelve of Mason Jr.’s
points came in the paint, including two more alley-oop slams that
ignited the crowd.
Rookie Qa’rraan Calhoun put in a career night, contributing all
10 of his points in the first half to lead a 25-9 bench scoring
advantage in the opening period. Calhoun also grabbed a team-high
eight rebounds. Sophomore Ricky Torres logged another high-impact
performance, with 10 points and a pair of long-range buckets in 16
minutes. Junior Avery Patterson was the fourth St. John’s player in
double-figures also with 10, while guards James Williams and Aubin
Scott scored 12 points each to lead LIU.
St. John’s raced out to an 8-1 lead from the opening tip and
never looked back, with early 3-point baskets by Patterson and
Calhoun and a putback by Mason Jr. When LIU drew within six points
at the 8:40 mark in the first period, the Red Storm responded with
a 10-0 run to make it 24-8 with 5:18 to play. Torres had five
points and St. John’s forced three Blackbird turnovers during the
three minute, 22-second burst.
The Red Storm led 33-19 at the half, marking the largest
halftime lead (14 points) of the year and holding LIU to the lowest
first-half output of any opponent this season. St. John’s forced 12
Blackbird turnovers in the opening stanza, and held LIU to 26.9
percent shooting from the field and a 22.2 mark from long
range.
The Red Storm continues a stretch of non-conference home games
on Friday, Dec. 1, when St. John’s play host to the UMBC
Retrievers. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.