Dwight Hardy secured a last second lay-in with 1.2 seconds left to lift St. John’s over fourth-ranked Pittsburgh at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. Hardy’s winning scoop shot provided the Red Storm a 60-59 clipping of the Panthers before a raucous crowd of over 14,000. Saturday’s victory was the fifth time this season St. John’s has toppled a top ten team. It was only the third loss for the Panthers, who still shine in first place in the Big East at 12-2. The Red Storm, currently unranked, have beaten Duke, UConn and Pitt this season. On Saturday, they thrilled the home fans with a heart-stopping one point win to improve to 17-9 overall.
The Panthers went into halftime ahead 27-26 in Ashton Gibbs’ return to the hardwood after missing two weeks due to an injured knee. Gibbs scored a career and game high 26 in the loss on 8-of-14 from the field. The sixth leading scorer in the Big East, Gibbs tallied 15 points in as many minutes during the opening half. Hardy totaled 19 points and added three steals to lead the Johnnies. St. John’s senior forward, Justin Burrell, contributed a quiet 15 points in the win. Pittsburgh, winners of their last six conference road games, was poised to make it seven in New York. The Red Storm had other plans in attempting to snap their own five game losing streak. There were eight lead changes during the second half until Hardy put an end to it all with a spectacular layup. Pitt led by as many as five after Brad Wanamaker’s jumper with 3:20 remaining. Wanamaker was held to just six points, as only Gibbs scored in double figures for the Panthers.
Pitt had a three point lead and the basketball with less than two minutes to go in the second half. Junior, Travon Woodall committed a turnover on an errant pass that led to a pair of D.J. Kennedy free throws to trim the lead 56-55. Gary McGhee pulled in a pass under the basket but fumbled to give St. John’s the ball back on Pitt’s next possession. Hardy’s jumper was off the mark, but Kennedy grabbed the rebound to keep the ball in the hands of the Red Storm. Following a foul, Hardy tied the game on a basket from the line. He missed his second free throw but the Storm again collected the rebound against one of the best rebounding team in the game. Hardy knocked down a pair of free throws after being fouled again to add to the late game drama. Woodall’s trey gave Pitt a one point edge with 11 seconds left before Hardy dribbled past Gilbert Brown for the deciding bucket.
Parting Points: More college hoops action from Saturday--WVU toppled Notre Dame, Texas fell to Nebraska and Kansas owned Colorado.
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