Published: January 02, 2007
QUEENS, N.Y.
Kia Wright, Monique McLean and
Tiina Sten each had double-figure scoring efforts,
but the St. John’s women’s basketball team was edged by Rutgers,
67-53, Tuesday night at Carnesecca Arena.
Wright, making her first start since Nov. 25 after returning
from a sports hernia injury, led all scorers with 16 points and
added six assists. McLean drained three 3-pointers and finished
with 15 points, while Sten scored 10 points for her 11th-straight
double-digit scoring performance.
Rutgers (6-5, 1-1 BIG EAST), meanwhile, used a balanced
offensive effort to wear down the Red Storm, as every available
player scored at least two points. Leading the way for the Scarlet
Knights was Essence Carson with 11 points, followed by freshman
Epiphanny Prince’s 10.
St. John’s (4-9, 0-2 BIG EAST) opened the game on a 6-2 run
after back-to-back 3-pointers by McLean and Nikki Jo
Rotolo. Rutgers came back to tie the game at 11-11 with
less than 12 minutes left in the half, then went on an 8-0 run to
take a 19-11 lead at the 9:25 mark.
St. John’s cut the lead to three with less than two minutes left
when Charisse Curtis hit a 3-pointer from the
baseline, but the Scarlet Knights responded with a 3-pointer by
Katie Adams to take a 33-27 lead at halftime.
In the second half, Rutgers opened on a 23-11 run to take its
largest lead of the game at 56-38 with under six minutes left in
the game.
St. John’s tried to play catch-up with a late 3-pointer by Sten
and several offensive rebounds in the last few minutes, but Rutgers
held its ground and won by the final score of 67-53.
St. John’s continues BIG EAST play Saturday when it hosts
Georgetown at 2 p.m.