Published: November 09, 2006
QUEENS, N.Y.
The St. John’s women’s basketball team fell to Iona, 66-56,
Thursday night in the first round of the Preseason Women’s National
Invitation Tournament (WNIT) at Carnesecca Arena. Four Red Storm
players were in double figures, and Joy
McCorvey and Angel
Tate both had double-doubles to lead St. John’s.
“We played hard but we ran out of gas,” St. John’s head coach Kim
Barnes Arico said. “We did a lot of good things, but we didn’t
do some of the things it takes to win a game. We have a young team
and I know we’ll get better.”
St. John’s, which featured a lineup comprised of three freshmen,
a sophomore and a junior for most of the game, got off to quick 4-0
lead after back-to-back baskets by Tate and Tiina
Sten. Iona went on a 7-0 run over the next four minutes to gain
a 7-4 lead, but St. John’s answered with another jumpshot by Sten
and a three-point play by Nikki
Jo Rotolo to go up, 8-7, with 16:02 left to play in the first
half.
From there, both sides went cold from the field and neither team
was able to make a field goal until the 13:32 mark, when Lauren
DeFalco hit a 3-pointer to give the Gaels a 10-8 advantage. Iona
lead by as many as five points midway through the first half, but
St. John’s stormed back to regain the lead when McCorvey found Tate
streaking down the lane for a layup and a 23-22 Red Storm lead.
St. John’s never trailed again in the half, and had a five-point
lead at halftime, 31-26.
The Red Storm opened the second half on a 6-2 run to hold its
largest lead of the game, 37-30, with 14:21 left to play.
The Gaels chipped away, however, and tied the game at 39 on a
3-pointer by Tiara Headen and took the lead on a jumper by Lauren
Huber.
St. John’s was without senior guard Kia
Wright down the stretch due to an injury, and the Red Storm was
unable to stage a comeback. In the second half, St. John’s shot
just 21 percent from the field and was 12-23 from the free throw
line. The Gaels won by a final score of 66-56.
McCorvey had a stellar collegiate debut, scoring 12 points and
grabbing 10 rebounds in an all-around solid effort. Tate was also
impressive, netting 11 points to go with 13 rebounds.
Rotolo, who played 40 minutes at point guard, finished with 13
points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. Sten was the
fourth Red Storm player in double figures, scoring 15 and hauling
down six boards. Rookie guard Allie
Patterson finished with five points.
Wright managed three assists and two rebounds in 10 minutes.
Headen led Iona with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
St. John’s will have 10 days before its next game, a Nov. 19
matchup with Army at Carnesecca Arena. Tipoff is 2 p.m.