NEW YORK (AP) — Shamorie Ponds scored 20 of his 26 points in the first half, dominating a highly anticipated matchup between two of the nation's top guards, and St. John's rebounded impressively from its first loss of the season by routing No. 16 Marquette 89-69 on Tuesday night at Carnesecca Arena.
Marvin Clark II had 22 points and Mustapha Heron added all 16 of his after halftime for the Red Storm (13-1, 1-1 Big East), who snapped Marquette's eight-game winning streak.
With leading scorer Markus Howard held to eight points on 2-for-15 shooting, the Golden Eagles (11-3, 0-1) got blown out in their conference opener. Howard entered averaging 25.1 points per game, best in the Big East and ranked fifth in the country.
Joey Hauser had 15 points to lead Marquette, which went 6 for 21 from 3-point range (28.6 percent).
No. 9 FLORIDA STATE 87, WINTHROP 76
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Terance Mann scored 22 points and Phil Cofer added 14, helping Florida State hold off Winthrop for its seventh straight victory.
The Seminoles have opened with a 12-1 record for the fourth time in school history, matching their best start.
Mann shot 10 of 11 from the floor, scoring 14 second-half points and grabbing seven rebounds. Cofer made four of his five shots in the first half but missed all the in the second.
Florida State was up 56-38 but Winthrop charged back to trail 63-61 with 11:50 left. The Seminoles, however, stayed in control.
Adam Pickett scored 19 points and Charles Falden added 15 for Winthrop (8-5), whose four-game winning streak ended.
No. 10 VIRGINIA TECH 81, NOTRE DAME 66
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Ty Outlaw hit three 3-pointers in a 22-9 second-half run and Virginia Tech beat Notre Dame.
Kerry Blackshear Jr. led the way with 21 points, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Ahmed Hill scored 17 apiece and Outlaw finished with 14 for the Hokies (12-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference). Virginia Tech led just 49-44 before Alexander-Walker sparked the run with a pair of driving baskets.
T.J. Gibbs scored 19 points, 13 in the second half, as Notre Dame (10-4, 0-1) had its four-game winning streak snapped. D.J. Harvey added 16 and Nate Laszewski had 14.
Outlaw's first 3-pointer gave Virginia Tech a 60-47 lead, and his third made it 71-53. The Fighting Irish closed to within 71-60 with just under four minutes to play, but after a timeout by the Hokies, Outlaw hit again from behind the arc to settle them down.
