:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45634310/usa-today-8313757.0.jpg)
The St. John's women's basketball team was nearly able to erase a 24-point deficit on Sunday afternoon on the road against Seton Hall, but their comeback attempt fell short and they lost 78-73 against the 25th-ranked Pirates.
Aliyyah Handford and Danaejah Grant were once again the Red Storm's two leading scorers on Sunday, with Handford leading the team with 26 points and Grant not far behind her with 23 while playing the game's full 40 minutes.
Amber Thompson also had a fantastic game for the Johnnies, as she scored 15 points while grabbing eight rebounds.
In a sold-out Walsh Gymnasium in South Orange, New Jersey, St. John's found themselves being blown out of the gym and down by 20 points, 72-52, with just over seven minutes left in the game.
However, what followed in the next six minutes of gameplay was an outstanding 19-1 run in which the Red Storm hit nine consecutive field goals and pulled themselves to within two. Although from there Seton Hall would close the game out on a 5-2 run and escape with the victory, 78-73.
The Red Storm are now 15-6 overall and 6-4 in the Big East. After their comeback fell just short over the weekend they now are in fifth place in the conference and are three games back of Pirates, who have roared to a 20-2 overall record and 9-1 conference record so far.
The Week Ahead
St. John's wlll play two games at home this upcoming week, first taking on Creighton tomorrow night before facing a quick turnaround and taking on Providence on Sunday. With neither of those teams currently in the top half of the Big East standings, this weekend could be a huge opportunity for the Red Storm to make up some ground in the conference.
Handford Again Named to Big East Honor Roll
In what is almost beginning to seem like a given at this point, Aliyyah Handford was named to her fifth straight Big East Honor Roll on Monday, and her eighth overall on the season. As stated earlier, Handford led the team with 26 points on 11-20 shooting in their only game this week, and she was a huge part of the Red Storm's near monumental comeback.