January 31, 2011
In a stunning upset, St. John’s crushed third-ranked Duke in a
93-78 victory before a sellout crowd of 19,353 at Madison Square
Garden on Sunday, Jan. 30.
The
Red Storm played one of the best games of “any college team this
season,” according to the
New York Daily News. The victory gave the Red Storm their third
win after eight consecutive games against ranked teams. It was also
St. John’s first victory over Duke since 2003.
The Red Storm dominated the Blue Devils early in the game, with a
46-25 lead by half-time. Senior guard
Dwight Hardy scored 26 points. Senior forward
Justin Brownlee scored 20 points, with nine rebounds and six
assists. Senior guard
Paris Horne contributed 15 points with six assists.
Steve Lavin, the Storm’s Head Coach, said the victory reflected
an outstanding performance right from the start. The team employed
a three-quarter court trap that forced Duke to make low percentage
passes that St. John’s players frequently stole.
“From the outset, our team executed with precision on offense and
brought great intensity to the defensive end of the floor,” Lavin
noted. “We were able to maintain a high level of basketball for 40
minutes, and that was the difference.”
The Red Storm’s next game is against Rutgers in Carnesecca
Arena on Feb. 2. With winners in the classroom as well as the
playing courts and fields, St. John’s 16 Division I, BIG EAST men’s and women’s
athletic teams reflect
the University’s 141-year tradition of excellence in preparing
students for leadership in their professions, communities and
world.
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