Published: November 29, 2006
NIAGARA, N.Y.
The St. John’s women’s basketball team fell on the road to
Niagara, 63-46, Wednesday night at the Gallagher Center. Angel Tate
led the Red Storm with 13 points and 14 rebounds.
St. John’s scored first when Tate converted a layup to give the
Red Storm a 2-0 lead with 17:00 left in the first half. Niagara
guard Chantelle Wilson hit a 3-pointer on the Purple Eagles’ next
possession. The shot was one of three 3-pointers in the first
stanza for Niagara, but neither team could find an offensive
rhythm, as the Red Storm shot just 23 percent from the field in the
first half and Niagara was just slightly better at 26 percent.
With St. John’s trailing 15-8 midway through the first half,
sophomore guard Monique McLean got the Red Storm going by hitting
back-to-back 3-point shots and finished the half with 10 points.
The Purple Eagles held a slim 22-18 lead at the intermission,
however, led by Wilson, Jennifer McNamee and Erika Harris with five
points apiece. Along with McLean, Tate had a strong first half for
St. John’s, hauling down nine boards and scoring six points.
Starting the second half with a four-point deficit to make up
for, St. John’s started strong with Nikki Jo Rotolo scoring a layup
and assisting on another to Tate in less than a minute to tie the
score at 22. Niagara responded with a 7-0 run, capped off by a
Shaunna Ambrose layup with 16:00 left in the game to force St.
John’s to play catch-up once again.
In the end, it was the Purple Eagles with the hot hands on
offense and the Red Storm committing costly turnovers that led to
the final score of 63-46. Niagara shot 53 percent from the field in
the second half, compared to the Red Storm’s 35 percent.
Niagara was led by Ambrose with 15 points and three other
players in double figures for scoring.
For St. John’s, Tiina Sten was in double figures with 11 points
and also grabbed eight rebounds, while McLean finished with 13
points and three steals.
St. John’s returns to Carnesecca Arena for a four-game homestand
beginning with a Saturday, Dec. 2, game against Monmouth. Tipoff is
2 p.m.