"We played awesome defense tonight, especially the first half was as good as we played all year. St. John's coach Rick Pitino highlighted the team's defensive performance after they scored the first nine points and built a commanding 21-point halftime lead against Providence in their Big East tournament quarterfinal matchup."
"It's not easy winning on the road against one of the best defensive teams in the country. My message to the guys, 'When you play a team like Seton Hall, your defense has to be every bit as good as their defense in order to win.' Coach Pitino emphasized the defensive challenge ahead against Seton Hall after St. John's recent regular-season victories over the Pirates."
"Zuby Ejiofor, the Big East player of the Year and defensive player of the year, finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. He became the first player in the history of the tournament to achieve those numbers in the same game during St. John's victory over Providence."
St. John's secured a commanding 85-72 victory over Providence in the Big East tournament quarterfinal, never trailing throughout the game. The Red Storm dominated rebounding with a 51-30 advantage and generated 21 more shot attempts than Providence. Zuby Ejiofor, the Big East Player and Defensive Player of the Year, recorded 21 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and three blocks—the first player in tournament history to achieve those statistics in a single game. St. John's led by 21 at halftime and advanced to face fourth-seeded Seton Hall in the semifinals. The Red Storm have reached the semifinals for the third consecutive season and are defending their first Big East tournament title since 2000.
Read at Miami Herald
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