SOUTH ORANGE- St. John’s women’s basketball snapped a four game Big East losing streak last night against the Seton Hall Pirates (13-5, 3-3 Big East) and improved to 11-9 overall and 2-4 in the conference. The 77 to 71 win was the team’s first since it beat USF in Carnesecca Arena way back on January 8.
The win may, in a way, excuse some of the team’s recent performances when you pair its outcome with the consideration that all of the team’s Big East losses this season have come against Top 25 ranked opponents.
“We’ve been in a slump for so long,” said senior guard Kia Wright. “To come out here and get a win on the road, that’s a lot. So, the team is feeling good about this one.
“It’s building our confidence because we’ve been down and you can tell in our team and our eyes.”
In the first half, the Red Storm showed the ability to work the ball in deep and get some quality scoring chances as well as drawing some fouls. They shot a perfect 9-for-9 from the line in the first half, including six from sophomore forward Recee Mitchell, whose aggressive play down low seemed too much for Pirate defenders.
The outside shooting was impressive as well in the opening period with the Red Storm hitting three of its five attempts from behind the arc while freshman guard Sky Lindsay displayed her smooth, silky jump shot to the tune of 4-for-5, 9-point first half performance, leading all scorers in the process.
The Red Storm defense glimmered at points in the first half as it forced the Pirates into two shot clock violations.
The Pirates kept it close for most of the first half, mainly with a fast pace and good transition basketball mixed with good perimeter shooting to beat the Red Storm zone with some regularity. But the Red Storm went on a bit of a run at the end of the second half and turned a 25-25 tie with 3:53 left in the half into a 36-27 margin when the horn sounded.
The Red Storm took that momentum with them into the second half and gradually built its lead for the rest of the night. It used a similar strategy both offensively and defensively in the second period to keep the pressure on: good ball movement offensively, a buckled-down zone on the other end-another shot clock violation for the Pirates in the second half-and accurate shooting from all areas of the court.
The hustle play of injury prone Kia Wright couldn’t go without note.
The senior guard went-and continually goes-above and beyond the normal duties of a point guard and she spent much of the night sprawled on the court, diving for loose balls.
“She always makes me nervous,” said Barnes Arrico, “but I think she is one of the best point guards in the country. She can play with anyone.”
Recee Mitchell’s 3-point play with 8:44 to go gave the Storm a 58-44 lead and looked to be the blow which left the Pirates desperate just to get back into the that would leave until its finish.
“She’s unstoppable,” Wright said of Mitchell. “We get her the ball down there, she takes her time and no one can stop her, and she has to know that.”
With about four minutes left the Pirates put on a full court press and began to foul, which actually did manage to close the margin of deficit substantially but, as they did all night, the Red Storm shot well enough to hold the Pirates off.
Monique McClean led the Red Storm with 20 points and 9 rebounds.
“We needed it big time, we needed it big time,” repeated Barnes-Arrico. “[The win] puts us in a better position and now we just have to prepare for the next one.”
