David Cubillan hit a key 3-pointer with 1:10 remaining to help lift Marquette over St. John's in the second round of the Big East Tournament Wednesday. PHOTO BY OREN VOURMAN / LSV

NEW YORK – Having lost to Marquette by two points in overtime at Carnesecca Arena in Eastern Queens two weeks ago, St. John’s was determined not to let another close game with the Golden Eagles fall outside of their reach.

Trailing by as many as 14 points in the first half at Madison Square Garden, a resilient Red Storm team came up just short of reaching the third round of the Big East tournament Wednesday afternoon, eclipsed by only two points once again to the Golden Eagles 57-55 Wednesday night in front of their home town fans. Marquette previously defeated SJU 63-61, but Wednesday’s loss stung far worse as it signaled the end of the Red Storm’s season.

In the second half, the Red Storm turned up the heat, and led by senior forward Sean Evans’ feisty play in the paint (12 points), the Johnnies outscored the Golden Eagles by a 40-20 margin. DJ Kennedy’s sudden offensive outburst tied Evans for a team-high 12 points. With guard Paris Horne chipping in 10 points, St. John’s was not only in the game, but even led 53-52 with 2:22 remaining in regulation after Horne went 1 of 2 from the free-throw line.

“I said we’re fine,” responded St. John’s head coach Norm Roberts on how his Johnnies fared going into the second half of play. “We [had] to come out in the second half and focus defensively and then move the ball and make the extra pass and get in the lane, and [I] thought we did a better job of that in the second half.”

Marquette's Maurice Acker added 10 points, including this neifty move to the basket. PHOTO BY OREN VOURMAN / LSV

“I do not feel like it was enough time for me to get a good shot,” said Kennedy on describing his final possession of the game. “The possession before that I felt like when I had the opportunity to make a play for the team, I just wasn’t able to get an opportunity to make a play for my team.”

There were six lead changes, highlighted by the Golden Eagles’ sweet 3-point shooting (10 of 18 from beyond the arc). Marquette’s Lazar Hayward shot 4 of 6 from downtown on the way to game-highs in both points (20) and rebounds (9).

“The problem I have is that I trust Cuby like I trust my wife,” said Golden Eagles head coach Buzz Williams. “I want him out on the court. Not so that he can make a big three, but I know if he can make a big three, he will make a big three.”

Another standout performance for Marquette was off the fingertips of said “Cuby,” the nickname for the Golden Eagles guard David Cubillan, who finished the afternoon with 11 points, as the senior from Maracaibo, Venezuela connected on three of his four three-point attempts. It was Cubillan’s three-pointer with 1:10 remaining that regained the lead for Marquette, making the score 55-53.

“I ran the play, it was supposed to be to Lazar, but they cheated the play and I was wide open. And I just shot it. Made it,” said Cubillan on the 3.

DJ Kennedy shared the team lead with 12 points, but he struggled inside the final two minutes, missing a key free throw for St. John's and turning the ball over in a big spot in the last minute. PHOTO BY OREN VOURMAN / LSV

With the win, Marquette will advance to the Big East Championship quarterfinal round to face the No.4 seed Villanova Thursday.

NOTES: With its win over St. John’s (17-15), Marquette (21-10) has won its Big East tournament opener in each of the last four years and has improved to 5-4 all-time in the tournament.

Other Finals from Day 2 (Courtesy of BigEast.org/AP)

Deonta Vaughn made two free throws with 5.9 seconds left then made the game-saving strip just before the buzzer and Cincinnati beat Louisville 69-66 on Wednesday night in the second round of the Big East tournament.

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Luke Harangody had 20 points and 10 rebounds in a healthy performance off the bench, and Notre Dame shut down Seton Hall's high-octane offense for a 68-56 victory in the second round of the Big East tournament Wednesday night.

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Austin Freeman and Greg Monroe scored 16 points each, and No. 22 Georgetown built a big first-half lead before handling everything South Florida star Dominique Jones could offer in a 69-49 victory Wednesday in the Big East tournament.

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