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03/12 13:43 CDT Ejiofor and Hopkins lead No. 13 St. John's to an 85-72 win over
Providence in Big East quarterfinals
Ejiofor and Hopkins lead No. 13 St. John's to an 85-72 win over Providence in
Big East quarterfinals
By MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --- Zuby Ejiofor had 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists as
No. 13 St. John's opened the defense of last year's Big East Tournament title
by blowing out Providence 85-72 in the quarterfinals Thursday.
Bryce Hopkins added 14 points and 13 boards against his former team, helping
the top-seeded Red Storm (26-6) advance to play fourth-seeded Seton Hall or No.
5 seed Creighton in the first semifinal game Friday evening at Madison Square
Garden.
Oziyah Sellers had 14 points and reserve Ian Jackson also scored 14 for the
Johnnies, who topped the Friars 30-4 in bench points and outrebounded them
51-30 in what's expected to be Kim English's final game as Providence coach.
Multiple reports citing anonymous sources last week indicated the school
informed English he will be fired after the season, his third at Providence.
St. John's scored the first nine points and led throughout, building a 23-point
cushion in the opening half. No. 9 seed Providence (15-18) trimmed it to 11
after halftime, but the Johnnies pushed it back to 24 with a little more than
four minutes left.
Stefan Vaaks scored 19 of his 23 points in the second half for the Friars, who
handed St. John's its only Big East home loss this season on Jan. 3 at MSG. Big
East scoring champion Jaylin Sellers had 21 points, and Ryan Mela added 16.
It was the first meeting between the Big East charter members since a
fight-filled game on Valentine's Day, when a raucous crowd in Providence tore
into Hopkins, who transferred to St. John's for his final college season after
a three-year stint with the Friars that was abbreviated by injury.
Hopkins got a measure of revenge Thursday with a soaring dunk on 6-foot-10
Oswin Erhunmwunse and hung on the rim to punctuate it. Hopkins then crashed to
the court after tumbling over Friars guard Corey Floyd Jr. on the way down, but
there was no trouble.
Moments later, Hopkins gestured with his arm after draining a 3-pointer.
Up next St. John's swept Seton Hall and Creighton this season. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Up next St. John's swept Seton Hall and Creighton this season. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
