St. John's and Cincinnati had grown accustomed to tight games. They likely expected another Wednesday night.
After four consecutive games between the pair of teams ended with two-point margins, the Bearcats trounced the Red Storm 76-54 at Madison Square Garden. Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati's leading scorer with 15.4 points per game, scored 10 of his 14 points in the first five minutes of the second half, widening the Bearcats' 30-19 halftime lead.
D'Angelo Harrison scored 15 points to lead St. John's, who shot just 32.8 percent from the field and have now lost three of four. No other player scored in double-digits for the Red Storm, as Phil Greene was their second-leading scorer with eight points. Freshman sensation Moe Harkless finished with just six points on 2-of-8 shooting.
Prior to the game, the Red Storm announced junior guard Malik Stith was leaving the team for personal reasons. Stith will stay with the program and still earn his degree, though his absence leaves St. John's with a six-man rotation consisting of players all in their first years with the program.
After enduring a 95-70 rout at the hands of the No. 2 Syracuse Orange Saturday, St. John's schedule doesn't appear to get any easier. Sunday afternoon, the Red Storm travel to Georgetown to face the No. 11 Hoyas.