Moore Records First Career Double-Double; Red Storm Holds Blue Devils to 15 Second-Half Points in Dominant Performance
QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John’s Women’s Basketball team (5-1, 0-0 BIG EAST) locked down Central Connecticut State (0-5, 0-0 NEC) in the second half to roll to a 71-46 victory to close a three-game homestand on Monday night at Carnesecca Arena in front of 543 fans.
After leading by just one at the half, the Red Storm outscored the Blue Devils 39-15 over the final 20 minutes. St. John’s sprinted out to a devastating 20-0 run to begin the third quarter, cashing in on its first eight attempts from the field and limiting CCSU without a single point for the first 7:35 of the third quarter to cruise to a fourth consecutive victory.
Brooke Moore recorded her first career double-double, setting new personal bests in scoring (20) and rebounds (11) on Monday night. The junior shot 8-of-10 (80%) from the charity stripe to become the first St. John’s player to reach the 20-point threshold this season. The Kennesaw, Ga., native surpassed her previous career-best rebounding total by three boards and collected six on the offensive glass.
Kylie Lavelle notched back-to-back double-digit scoring efforts, exceeding her season-high for the second consecutive outing. The senior added 13 points on 6-of-10 (60%) shooting, four rebounds, two steals and was a plus-31 in the winning effort.
Daniela Abies chipped in eight points on 3-of-3 shooting and seven rebounds. Shaulana Wagner matched a season-high with eight assists. The Red Storm have dished out 17 or more helpers in each of its last three games.
First Quarter: St. John’s Builds Early Lead Behind Three-Point Shooting
In the opening quarter, Beautiful Waheed knocked down a pair of early triples as the Red Storm built an early 10-4 edge heading into the first quarter media timeout. Janeya Grant buried a 3-pointer to bring the cushion to 17-10 before the Blue Devils rattled off eight straight points to claim their first lead of the evening, 18-17.
In the final minute of the opening stanza, the Johnnies orchestrated an 8-0 spurt over the final 1:01. Skye Owen drilled a triple, assisted on Jailah Donald’s make from long range and added a fastbreak layup during the final minute to guide St. John’s to a 25-17 lead after 10 minutes.
St. John’s shot 64.3% (9-for-14) from the field in the first quarter, including 71.4% (5-for-7) from three-point range, showcasing early offensive efficiency.
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Second Quarter: Sluggish Offensive Performance Keeps Game Close at Halftime
In the second frame, Central Connecticut State chipped in the first seven points of the second quarter to tie the contest, 25-25. Julie Bahati provided a boost off the bench, recording four points, four rebounds and an assist in just four minutes of action in the middle of the quarter.
The Blue Devils tied the scoreline for the third time as St. John’s struggled offensively. Waheed tacked on the final point from the charity stripe as St. John’s took a 32-31 lead into the locker room.
The Red Storm shot just 14.3% (2-for-14) from the field in the second quarter, a stark contrast to their first-quarter efficiency. Head coach Joe Tartamella emphasized the need for consistency at halftime.
“It was a tough first half for us. I was a little frustrated with how we came out, but I thought we did a really good job in the second half of picking up our intensity level, our competitiveness and defense,” Tartamella said. “We have to learn to be that way for 40 minutes if we want to continue improving.”
Third Quarter: Red Storm Unleashes Dominant 20-0 Run, Suffocates Blue Devils
In the third frame, St. John’s shut out CCSU for the opening 7:35, cruising out to a dominant 20-0 scoring run. The Red Storm made eight consecutive field goals to begin the stanza, closed out by a corner triple from Lavelle that expanded the lead to as many as 21, 52-31.
St. John’s held the Blue Devils without a single point until the 2:25 mark of the third quarter and a total scoreless stretch of 9:04 of game time dating back to the first half. The Blue Devils added the final five points of the frame as St. John’s brought a 52-37 cushion into the fourth.
Moore scored five points during the run, while Lavelle and Sa’Mya Wyatt each contributed key baskets. The Red Storm shot 66.7% (8-for-12) from the field in the third quarter, including 33.3% (1-for-3) from three-point range.
“I thought the beginning of the third quarter was a huge piece for us. Our rebounding and points in the paint really ticked up,” Tartamella said. “I’m pleased with how we finished.”
Moore credited the halftime adjustments for the dramatic turnaround.
“In the first half, we didn’t play how we usually do. We weren’t aggressive. We didn’t play our style of basketball,” Moore said. “At halftime, Coach just really emphasized playing our style of basketball, being aggressive, running the floor, and just executing our plays.”
Lavelle echoed Moore’s assessment, highlighting the defensive improvements.
“Defensively in the first half, we weren’t all there. I feel like we came out in the second half and were game-focused for the rest of the night,” Lavelle said.
Fourth Quarter: Red Storm Extends Lead to 27, Secures Dominant Victory
In the final quarter, St. John’s continued to suffocate the Blue Devils offensively, limiting them to 14.8% (4-for-27) from the floor in the second half and extended its lead.
Moore scored five of St. John’s first seven points to open the fourth frame. After CCSU cut the deficit back to 15, the Red Storm spurred a 12-0 scoring run to put the game away and propel the advantage to as many as 27 with 2:03 to play.
St. John’s shot 38.9% (7-for-18) from the field in the fourth quarter and 83.3% (5-for-6) from the free-throw line, closing out the game with authority.
Statistical Breakdown
Shooting:
- St. John’s shot 44.8% (26-for-58) from the field, 31.6% (6-for-19) from three-point range, and 61.9% (13-for-21) from the free-throw line.
- Central Connecticut State shot just 31.7% (19-for-60) from the field, 14.3% (2-for-14) from three-point range, and 54.5% (6-for-11) from the free-throw line.
Rebounding:
- St. John’s dominated the glass with 50 rebounds (15 offensive) compared to Central Connecticut State’s 27 (7 offensive).
- Moore led all players with 11 rebounds, including six offensive boards.
Assists and Turnovers:
- St. John’s dished out 19 assists to 12 turnovers, showcasing balanced ball movement.
- Central Connecticut State had four assists and seven turnovers.
Scoring Breakdown:
- St. John’s outscored Central Connecticut State in points in the paint (38-26), second-chance points (15-9), and fast break points (14-2).
- St. John’s’ bench contributed 23 points compared to Central Connecticut State’s six.
Quarter-by-Quarter Shooting:
- 1st Quarter: St. John’s 64.3% (9-14), CCSU 50.0% (9-18)
- 2nd Quarter: St. John’s 14.3% (2-14), CCSU 40.0% (6-15)
- 3rd Quarter: St. John’s 66.7% (8-12), CCSU 16.7% (2-12)
- 4th Quarter: St. John’s 38.9% (7-18), CCSU 13.3% (2-15)
Key Takeaways
1. Second-Half Dominance: St. John’s held Central Connecticut State to just 15 points in the second half, demonstrating elite defensive execution and intensity.
2. Moore’s Breakout: Brooke Moore’s first career double-double (20 points, 11 rebounds) established her as a reliable scoring and rebounding threat for the Red Storm.
3. Balanced Scoring: Four St. John’s players reached double figures in the first half, showcasing the team’s offensive depth and ball movement.
4. Defensive Adjustments: The Red Storm’s ability to hold the Blue Devils scoreless for 7:35 in the third quarter highlighted their defensive versatility and intensity.
5. Consistency Challenge: Tartamella’s emphasis on playing with consistent effort for 40 minutes underscores the team’s need to maintain focus from start to finish.
6. Lavelle’s Leadership: Kylie Lavelle’s back-to-back double-digit scoring efforts and plus-31 rating demonstrated her value as a senior leader and reliable scorer.
Looking Ahead: Cayman Islands Classic
The Red Storm will head to the Caribbean for the 2025 Cayman Islands Classic in George Town, Grand Cayman, on Nov. 28-29. St. John’s will face Georgia Tech on Friday at 5 p.m. and Memphis on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on FloSports.
Tartamella emphasized the importance of maintaining consistency heading into the tournament.
“You want to learn through wins. It’s a lot better than through losses. I was really proud of how we responded in the second half. I think that’s what we’ll take away from this game,” Tartamella said.
Moore stressed the need to start strong in upcoming matchups.
“That was a big win, but it’s in the past now. We’re just looking to win the games we have moving forward. Tonight, it was big to come out and show that we’re still here and we can still be consistent,” Moore said. “We play Memphis and Georgia Tech at the tournament. It’s just about coming out and being ready from the start. We can’t be lackadaisical and just play in the second half. We play all 40 minutes.”
Lavelle added perspective on approaching each opponent with the same intensity.
“As a team, every game is important, and every game is different. Coming out and playing our style of basketball every time will help us regardless of the opponent,” Lavelle said.
Game Notes
- St. John’s improves to 5-1 overall; Central Connecticut State falls to 0-5
- Brooke Moore recorded her first career double-double (20 points, 11 rebounds)
- Moore became the first St. John’s player to reach 20 points this season
- Kylie Lavelle exceeded her season-high for the second consecutive game (13 points)
- St. John’s held Central Connecticut State to 15 points in the second half
- St. John’s held the Blue Devils scoreless for 7:35 in the third quarter
- St. John’s shot 66.7% in the third quarter
- St. John’s bench scored 23 points
- Shaulana Wagner matched a season-high with eight assists
- St. John’s has dished out 17 or more assists in each of its last three games
- Next game: Georgia Tech, Friday, Nov. 28, 5 p.m. ET in George Town, Grand Cayman (FloSports)
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