Hiedeman leads No. 17 Marquette women in Big East opener

CHICAGO (AP) — Natisha Hiedeman, the Big East Player of the Year, scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and No. 17 Marquette opened the conference tournament on Sunday with an 88-57 over ninth-seeded Saint John's.

Allazia Blockton added 17 points, Amani Wilborn 13 and Lauren Van Kleuen 11 for the top-seeded Golden Eagles (25-6), who play the winner of the Villanova-Georgetown game in the semifinals on Monday.

In posting its largest margin of victory in a Big East tournament game, Marquette had buzzer-beating baskets at the end of the first three quarters.

Hiedeman drained a 3-pointer from the left wing to give Marquette a 19-10 lead after one quarter. Van Kleunen swished a 3 from the right corner as time expired for a 40-19 halftime lead. Blockton's putback at the end of the third quarter made it 62-30.

The Golden Eagles shot 50 percent for the game with eight 3-pointers and went 10 of 11 from the foul line.

Alisha Kebbe, Akina Wellere and Curteeona Brelove had 13 points apiece for the Red Storm (15-16), who went 4 of 19 from distance and shot 33 percent overall, 20 percent in the second half.