Saturday, December 22, 2018 08:00 PM (ET)

St. John’s coasts 104-82, off to best start in 36 years

Field Level Media
Dec 22, 2018

Senior forward Marvin Clark II and junior guard Mustapha Heron each scored 23 points to lead the undefeated St. John's Red Storm to an easy 104-82 victory over visiting Sacred Heart on Saturday night.

As a team, the Red Storm shot 52.1 percent from the floor and a blistering 44.7 percent on 3-pointers (17-for-38).

The Red Storm (12-0) are off to their best start in 36 years and are one of just eight undefeated teams still left standing in NCAA Division I.

The last St. John's team to win 12 or more games to begin a season featured eventual Big East Player of the Year Chris Mullin, who is now the Red Storm's coach.

Current Red Storm star Shamorie Ponds, a 6-1 junior point guard and the favorite to win Player of the Year honors in the Big East, had a relatively quiet night against Sacred Heart, scoring 13 points. However, he dished a game-high nine assists, grabbed five rebounds and made 3-of-7 shots from 3-point range.

Ponds entered the game averaging 20.2 points per game, which ranked third in the Big East.

St. John's LJ Figueroa added 15 points and five assists, and defensive ace Justin Simon had 10 points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block.

Sacred Heart (4-8) was led by four players who scored in double figures: Sean Hoehn (16 points); Koreem Ozier (15); Aaron Clarke (13); and E.J. Anosike (13). Jare'l Spellman added a game-high 12 rebounds, and Cameron Parker had a team-high seven assists.

St. John's never trailed in this game, racing to a 14-0 lead in the first three minutes and cruising to a 53-38 lead at halftime. The game was virtually over at that point as St. John's never had any nervous moments in the second half.

St. John's begins conference play at Seton Hall next Saturday.

--Field Level Media

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