Queens,N.Y.- St. John's (3-0) opened the second half on a 10-1
run to break open a close game and went on to defeat UMBC (0-2),
82-59 at Carnesecca Arena.
Junior guard Brian Neller (Red
Bank, N.J.) led the Retrievers with 13 points, while Chase Plummer
(Elizabeth,N.J.) added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
UMBC started quickly, hitting four of its first five shots and
grabbing a 10-3 lead at the 16:28 mark of the half. The hosts went
on a 9-0 run to take the lead, and built a 35-28 lead with 1:38 to
play in the half. But back-to-back 3-point field goals by sophomore
Quentin
Jones (Ellicott City, Md./Mount St. Joseph) and Neller trimmed
the deficit to 35-34 with 50 seconds remaining. The Red Storm went
to intermission with a 39-34 advantage.
But the Red Storm burst from the gate in the second half and
UMBC hit only 8-of-35 field goal attempts in the second stanza,
falling to 32.8 percent (22-of-67) for the game.
All five St. John's starters scored in double figures, led by
Moe Harkless with 18 points.
UMBC outrebounded the Red Storm, 42-41, but committed 20
turnovers and allowed 22 fast break points.
UMBC returns to the RAC Arena on Thursday to host Loyola at 7:00
p.m.
