Ponds has 20, St. John's defeats Loyola (Md) 76-55

NEW YORK (AP) — Shamorie Ponds scored 20 points, Mustapha Heron added 15 and St. John's cruised to a 76-55 season-opening win 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, had all his points and Heron had 13 of his 15 in the first half when the game was decided.

St. John's shot 56 percent and made 6 of 13 3-pointers to take a 48-23 lead. The Greyhounds missed all three of their 3s and shot 25 percent. 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.