STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY- NOVEMBER 15, 2009: Stony Brook's Crystal Rushin...

STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY- NOVEMBER 15, 2009: Stony Brook's Crystal Rushin (23) (7 points) drives against St. John's Joy McCorvey (25) in the second half. St. Johns defeated Stony Brook 89-52. St. Johns University at Stony Brook University women's basketball. Credit: Newsday/Photo by Joseph D. Sullivan

Another game and another win for the St. John’s women’s team.

Paced by a career-high 12 points from North Babylon graduate Eugeneia McPherson and Joy McCorvey, who added 12 points and 12 boards, the Red Storm cruised to a 70-46 win over Providence at Carnesecca Arena on Saturday.

But it wasn’t just any old "W" for the Red Storm, which won its fifth straight game.

The Red Storm is a young team with just two seniors and two juniors. Teams with so much youth typically have highs and lows. The lows usually come after a big win. St. John’s got a huge win on the road against Syracuse last Wednesday. There was no letdown for the Storm, which followed that up with the big win home win Saturday.

"That was my major concern about today, " coach Kim Barnes Arico said. "I didn't know how they would respond...Why does UConn beat Duke by 40, but then beat the No.300 team in the country by 40? Because they go into every game and its about them."

St. John’s improved to 18-3 overall and 6-2 in the Big East and is currently in sole possession of fifth place, trailing Connecticut, West Virginia, Notre Dame and Georgetown.

Coaches usually don’t like to forecast a season. But there’s no getting around the elephant in the room. The Red Storm is in prime position to grab its second NCAA bid in the last five years. Their last bid came in 2005-2006.

Red Storm coach Kim Barnes Arico isn’t one to talk prematurely about anything, especially with Georgetown, Notre Dame and Connecticut still on the schedule. But her players can already feel the excitement. "Words can’t even describe it. It feels great," said McCorvey, one of two seniors on the team. "We have the team. We have the talent."

McCorvey lauded the play of the entire team in Saturday’s win.

"Coach has been telling us that since day one. If we play hard, we stick together, we play as a family, we play as a team, and carry out the potential that she sees in us, then we can do big things," she added. "Everybody bought into that. Everybody believes in each other. The coaches believe in us, so we keep playing hard and we have room to grow."

Photo credit: Newsday / Joseph D. Sullivan

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