March 6, 2005

Box Score

Queens, NY - The No. 8 seeded St. John's Red Storm were eliminated from the BIG EAST Tournament this afternoon, after dropping a 69-45 decision to No. 1 Rutgers in the quarterfinals. The Red Storm fall to 19-10 overall, while the Scarlet Knights improve to 24-5 and will face No. 5 Villanova in the semifinals on Monday.

Rutgers, who led 35-21 at the break, opened the second half with an 8-2 run that included three-point plays by Chelsea Newton and Michelle Campbell and took a 20-point lead. Angela Clark (Copiague, NY), who tallied the first 13 points for the Red Storm in the second half, snapped the run with a three-point play of her own. Rutgers pulled out to a 56-33 advantage after tallying eight-straight point with less than 10 minutes remaining.

Clark hit a jumper in the paint for St. John's and was followed by a basket from Greeba Barlow (Columbia, MD) after an offensive board to pull back within 20 with 8:56 to go, but Rutgers answered with four-straight point and found themselves up 60-36 moments later.

The Scarlet Knights used a 10-0 run late in the game and took their largest lead, a 31-point advantage with under four minutes left. Chelsey Thompson (Louisville, KY) eventually snapped the run with a three-pointer and, along with Tara Walker (Jersey City, NJ), combined for six-straight to close out the game with the 69-45 final.

In the first half, Rutgers opened the game with two-straight threes from Matee Ajavon, but St. John's kept it close early. Seven minutes in, Rutgers used a 15-3 run to take a 21-8 lead with 12:21 remaining. Back-to-back scores from senior Cappie Pondexter put the Knights up 33-17, but two-straight baskets from Thompson once again kept the game within reach.

Clark finished with 16 points to lead St. John's. Barlow added nine off the bench. Newton led all scorers with 21 for Rutgers.

For the most up-to-date information and statistics on St. John's Athletics, please visit our website at www.redstormsports.com or call our hotline at 1-888-GO STORM.