Published: December 01, 2006
QUEENS, N.Y.
St. John’s Lamont Hamilton, Anthony Mason
Jr. and Avery Patterson combined for 52 points, leading the Red
Storm (4-3) to a complete all-around team effort and a 78-57
victory over UMBC before 3,994 at Carnesecca Arena.
The trio got it going early for the Red Storm, combining for all
36 points (and 12 of 22 rebounds) in the first half. Hamilton (11
first-half points) was extremely active in the paint, dominating
the undersized Retriever front line, while Mason Jr. (14 in the
first period) stroked 2-of-3 3-point attempts and rocked the rim
twice with thunderous slam dunks. He reached double-digit points
for the fifth consecutive game before the halftime buzzer sounded.
Patterson (11 first-half points) made a pair of threes and
connected on all three of his free throws, and is now a perfect
14-for-14 from the charity stripe in the 2006-07 season.
Eugene Lawrence, the Red Storm captain and floor general, put
forth one of his best first-half performances of the young season
with six assists, only one turnover, five boards and three steals.
The junior guard helped St. John’s record nine assists on its 11
first-half baskets, and the Red Storm did not tally any miscues for
the first 15:36 of the game. St. John’s led 36-27 at the break.
Hamilton finished the game with 19 points and six rebounds,
while Mason had 17 points, seven boards and a career-high six
assists, and Patterson added 16 points and three 3-pointers.
Lawrence totaled seven points, eight assists, eight rebounds and
four steals on the night.
St. John’s expanded its lead in the second half as the Red Storm
bench, which has been a key factor in recent victories, got into
the act. Ricky Torres, who scored 33 points in the four prior
games, contributed six second-half points while Larry Wright netted
five and blocked two shots.
As a team, St. John’s shot 63.6 percent in the second half and
48.1 percent from the game, including a 44.4 percent mark from
beyond the arc and a 76.9 percent performance from the free throw
line. The Red Storm defense was particularly effective on the
perimeter, where it limited UMBC to 36.8 percent shooting and a
20.0 percent mark from 3-point range.
Roberts emptied the bench for the last two minutes of the game,
and Red Storm walk-ons Adam Laitsas, Devin Mayo, Liam Biesty, Otoja
Abit and Corey Brown saw game action. Mayo drilled a 3-pointer with
47 seconds to play, while Abit banked in the first two points of
his St. John’s career on a putback layup.
Brian Hodges totaled 19 points off the bench for the Retrievers
(3-4), accumulating a remarkable 73 points (24.3 ppg) in his last
three games as a reserve.
Before the game, Roberts announced that guard Daryll Hill would
miss the game due to soreness in his surgically-repaired left knee.
The senior had played in St. John’s first six games, averaging 7.5
ppg in 24.3 minutes per outing.
The Red Storm completes its early stretch of four non-conference
home games on Tuesday, Dec. 5, when St. John’s play host to the St.
Francis (N.Y.) Terriers. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30
p.m.