Storm routs Loyola

Wagner no match for Seton Hall

Shamorie Ponds scored 20 points, Mustapha Heron added 15 and St. John’s cruised to a 76-55 season-opening victory over Loyola Maryland on Tuesday night.

Ponds, the first Red Storm player since Malik Sealy in 1991 to be named the Big East Preseason Player of the Year, scored all his points and Heron had 13 of his 15 in the first half when the game was decided.

St. John’s shot 56% and made 6 of 13 3pointers to take a 48-23 lead. The Greyhounds missed all three of their 3s and shot 25%. Only 13 of 18 free-throw shooting kept it reasonable as Ponds hit a 35-foot bomb at the buzzer.

Mikey Dixon added 13 points off the bench for the Red Storm, nine in the first half.

Loyola, under first-year coach Tavaras Hardy, got 17 points from Andrew Kostecka.

St. John’s has won all 11 games in the series.

SETON HALL 89, WAGNER 49

Myles Powell scored 30 points and missed just three shot attempts and Seton Hall defeated Wagner in a season-opening game for both teams Tuesday.

Powell was 10-of-13 shooting, 5 of 7 from behind the 3-point line and made all five of his free throws in the rout. Michael Nzei added 11 points for Seton Hall, which shot 30 of 58 (52%) from the floor.

With a 9-6 lead early, Powell scored seven straight with a 3-pointer, a pair of free throws and a dunk for a 10-point advantage. Seton Hall extended its lead to 25-12 9:36 before halftime before Wagner managed to hold the Pirates to 13 points over the next eight minutes to pull within nine at 38-27. But Powell buried another 3, and Nzei’s jumper with 21 seconds before the break made it 43-27 for the biggest lead of the half. Seton Hall went on a 7-0 run after halftime and cruised from there.

AJ Sumbry scored 12 points for Wagner.