Storm sneaks past Brown at home

Posted by Frank Qasim, Contributing Writer

It was Déjà-vu all over again for the St. John’s men’s basketball team taking on Brown University Friday night in Queens.

There were 18 seconds left in the second half with the Red Storm up by one, when veteran guard Malik Boothe stepped to the charity stripe and nailed two crucial free throws, putting his team up by three. The Bears’ last attempt was a missed three-pointer at the buzzer by junior guard Adrian Williams, and St. John’s hung on for a 79-76 victory.

It was Boothe earlier in the week that hit two clutch free throws that gave the Red Storm a one-point victory over St. Bonaventure. Junior forward Sean Evans returned to old form against Brown, posting 14 points and 9 rebounds. Evans was 8-10 from the free-throw line and St. John’s shot a combined 18-20 from the line for the game.

“Free throws is important every game,” Evans said. “I did not really feel any pressure down low, I just got fouled and had to go to the line and knew I had to knock them down. I have been working on it and that’s what I did.”

It was a tale of two halves for St. John’s verses Brown on Friday in Queens. The Red Storm at one point had a lead of 15 points with 2:25 left in first half. Guard Dwight Hardy hit four three-pointers in the first half and finished with a team-high 16 points.

The Red Storm blew another big lead by going 1-8 from downtown and shooting only 34 percent from the field in the second half.

“We need to have a better mental attitude to keep in our heads that no matter what we’re going to get a lead higher and higher and we can’t have latches in the second half,” said Hardy.

Bears forward Peter Sullivan’s three three-pointers and 17-point effort allowed the Bears to rally in the second half. Brown senior big man Matt Mullery’s 6-7 shooting from the field and 16 points eventually cut the St. John’s lead down to one point late in the second half. The Bears shot 70 percent from the field and drained four from long distance in their failed comeback effort.

St. John’s head coach Norm Roberts was content with the close win; however, Roberts feels his team still needs to improve.

“Were giving up too many alleys for guys to score,” Roberts said. “I was upset that we did not guard well at the end of the game. We have to do a better job of defending without fouling.” The Red Storm travel to Philadelphia next to play in the Philly Hoop Classic at the Palestra against Siena on Friday, Nov. 27 and against Temple on Saturday, Nov. 28.

Men’s Basketball signs Roberts with only available scholarship

Posted by Bill San Antonio

St. John’s has signed 6-7 guard-forward Ronald Roberts, the Red Storm’s lone signee of the fall signing period, according to ESPN’s Chris Lawler and SNY’s Adam Zagoria.

Men’s Soccer wins Big East tournament

Posted by Mike Cunniff

The St. John’s men’s soccer team won it’s eighth Big East championship today, defeating Notre Dame 5-3 in penalty kicks after playing to a scoreless draw.

New season, familiar result in opener

Posted by Frank Qasim, Contributing Writer

The St. John’s men’s basketball team opened up the 2009-10 season Friday with four newcomers, a newly-renovated home arena and a new motivational attitude, but finished with a familiar result.

Despite an attempted second-half comeback by LIU, the Red Storm defeated the Blackbirds 83-70 for the team’s sixth-consecutive home-opening win.

Men’s soccer moves one step closer to Big East championship

Posted by Mike Cunniff

The St. John’s men’s soccer team’s script has been the same all season: hold their opponent down in the first half and win the game in the second half.

There were a few changes to this script today.

Women’s basketball signs two recruits for next season

Posted by Mike Cunniff

Fresh off a recruiting class ranked #11 in the country by ESPN, the St. John’s women’s basketball team added a pair of recruits in the earlysigning period for next season.

Men’s soccer climbs in latest rankings

Posted by Mike Cunniff

Boosted by their four game winning streak and 11 game unbeaten streak, the St. John’s men’s soccer team has enjoyed a steady climb up the polls as well as the RPI rankings in recent weeks.

Women’s soccer earns first-ever NCAA tournament berth

Posted by Mike Cunniff

The St. John’s women’s soccer team’s 13-6-1 record helped earn them their first NCAA tournament birth in the 23 year history of the program.

Roberts: Mason out until December, Kennedy to miss time

Posted by Bill San Antonio

A hamstring injury that originally kept St. John’s senior swingman Anthony Mason Jr. out four to six weeks is expected to keep him out even longer, according to head coach Norm Roberts.

Mason Jr.’s rehab from the hamstring tweak, an injury suffered prior to the men’s basketball team’s Labor Day trip to Canada, will now keep him out another five to six weeks, and Roberts doesn’t expect his return until mid-December, when the Red Storm enter their holiday tournaments.

Men’s Soccer earns first round bye in BE tourney

Posted by Bill San Antonio

The St. John’s men’s soccer team earned a first round bye in the Big East Tournament Sunday with its 2-0 win over Syracuse.