UMBC

Jamaica, N.Y.—UMBC junior guard Brian Hodges scored a team-high 19 points, but it was not nearly enough as a hot perimeter shooter St. John’s squad defeated UMBC, 78-57 before 3,994 fans at Carnesecca Arena.

St. John’s blistered the nets during a 17-0 early first half run which erased a 7-3 deficit and gave the Red Storm a 20-7 advantage at the 13:13 mark of the first half.  The Retrievers, averaging nine three-point field goals made per game over the last three contests, did not hit their first trifecta until Jay Greene’s shot cut the deficit to 30-25 with 4:15 to play in the stanza. The Red Storm took a 36-27 lead into intermission, as UMBC hit just 10 of 29 (34.5%) first half field goal attempts.

St. John’s took control from the start of the second half, as UMBC did not score a field goal until the 13:23 and was trailing 47-30 at that point. The Red Storm hit 14 of 22 second half attempts (63.6%) and led by double digits the entire half.

Hodges hit seven of 16 shots from the floor and is averaging 24.3 ppg in his last three outings. Senior forward Mike Housman was the only other Retrievers in double figures with 13 points, while Jay Greene managed seven assists. UMBC hit just three of 15 shots from behind the arc.

Lamont Hamilton led St. John’s with 19 points and Anthony Mason, Jr. added 17 points, hitting three of four from behind the arc.