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Marquette stops St. John’s in Big East

SJU's Anthony Mason Jr. jumps over Marquette's Dan Fitzgerald. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
The Spokesman-Review
SJU's Anthony Mason Jr. jumps over Marquette's Dan Fitzgerald. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

Dan Fitzgerald scored eight of his 20 points during a 15-3 run midway through the second half and No. 18 Marquette held off upset-minded St. John’s 76-67 in the opening round of the Big East tournament Wednesday night in New York.

Wesley Matthews added 15 points and Lazar Hayward 14 for the sixth-seeded Golden Eagles (24-8), who advanced to play third-seeded Pittsburgh (25-6) today. It will be third game between the teams, with Marquette winning both — including last Saturday night.

Marquette won despite playing without Jerel McNeal, a second-team all-Big East selection who averages 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.6 steals. The sophomore guard injured a thumb in practice Friday and was unable to play in Saturday’s regular-season finale against Pittsburgh.

Anthony Mason Jr. scored 19 points and Aaron Spears 18 for 11th-seeded St. John’s (16-15), which was short-handed and playing in its first Big East tournament in four years – and first under coach Norm Roberts.

The Golden Eagles slumped down the stretch, losing four of their last six regular-season games, but beat Pittsburgh 75-71 on Saturday. It appeared Marquette might be headed for an early exit from the Big East tournament when the St. John’s offense got going early in the second half.

Marquette took a 10-point lead for the second time on Hayward’s layup with 16:25 to go. But St. John’s went on a 10-0 run, led by a jumper and two 3-pointers by Mason, who missed the end of the first half with a hand injury.

Villanova 75, DePaul 67: Freshman Scottie Reynolds scored 29 points and made eight free throws in the last 4 minutes to lead the ninth-seeded Wildcats (22-9) to a victory over the Blue Demons (18-13).

Curtis Sumpter added 25 points and the Wildcats won their fourth straight, advancing to play top-seeded Georgetown (23-6) in the second round today. The Hoyas received a first-round bye.

Syracuse 78, Connecticut 65: Demetris Nichols scored 28 points, hitting seven 3-pointers, and Eric Devendorf added 19 points to help the fifth-seeded Orange (22-9) beat the Huskies (17-14) and bolster its case for an at-large bid to the NCAAs.

The Orange, who have won the last two Big East tournaments, didn’t need any last-second magic to beat Connecticut this year, as they outscored the Huskies 42-27 in the second half.

West Virginia 92, Providence 79: West Virginia made a tournament record 17 3-pointers and the seventh-seeded Mountaineers (22-8) beat the Friars (18-12).

The win kept alive West Virginia’s chances of an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament should it not win the conference title. Frank Young and Alex Ruoff each scored 21 points for the Mountaineers.

Northeast Conference

Central Connecticut State 74, Sacred Heart 70: Javier Mojica scored 25 points to help the Blue Devils (21-11) beat the Pioneers (18-14) at New Britain, Conn., in the tournament championship and earn an NCAA bid.

The Blue Devils won their third NEC championship in the last seven years, and will be the only school from Connecticut in the NCAA tournament.