St. John’s basketball rides veterans to season opening victory

The St. John’s basketball team rode its veterans to a season opening victory in Queens. 

There was a quiet confidence among the St. John’s basketball team all preseason.

A season ago the Johnnies were Leilani Correa or bust, but this year they knew they had more than just the Preseason All-Big East selection.

Correa was superb as usual. A 13-point third quarter propelled her to a 22-point evening as the Johnnies (1-0) took down Fairleigh Dickinson (0-1), 89-68.

It was the sixth time in the last 12 games, dating back to last season, in which Correa had scored at least 20 points.

But it was the players around Correa who stood out the most on Wednesday night for the Red Storm.

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Senior forward Rayven Peeples sprinted out of the starting gates with 14 points in the first half as she ended the night with 24 points, a new Division I career high as well as a team-best on the night.

Kadaja Bailey did the same with ten points in the opening half as the versatile wing capped the evening with 16 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals.

Wednesday night was the highest point total in 45 games for St. John’s (December 9, 2019).

“We scored 50 in the first half and it was probably one of the worst offensive halves I have seen our team play. And I’m not kidding,” head coach Joe Tartamella said after the victory.

Newcomers Danielle Cosgrove and Danielle Patterson combined for 12 points and 12 rebounds in their St. John’s debuts.

St. John’s basketball hoping success carries over to road trip

St. John’s will now hit the road for a two game trip as the Johnnies travel to Stony Brook, which made the NCAA Tournament last season, on Sunday before a visit to Philadelphia next Wednesday night to face Temple.

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The Red Storm only have one more home game in the month of November, a meeting against Yale on November 21, which precedes a trip to Florida for the Gulf Coast Showcase.