St. John’s 79

UAB 71

All season Marcus Hatten has carried St. John’s, shouldering arguably a heavier burden than any player in America. It was fitting that last night, with the star senior sick and struggling, it was the rest of the Red Storm who returned the favor and carried him.

With Hatten suffering through one of his sloppiest games of the season last night at Alumni Hall, it was the Red Storm’s defense and interior play that carried them to a 79-71 victory over Alabama-Birmingham and into Tuesday’s NIT semifinals at the Garden.

It was all about contact. First, St. John’s (19-13) proved more physical than UAB, pushing the Blazers around all night. Then, after sealing a bid into Tuesday’s 9:30 p.m. nightcap against Bob Knight and Texas Tech (21-12), they pressed the flesh with their fans in the stands.

“Nobody on this team wants to go down losing,” said forward Anthony Glover, who had a team-high 16 points. “It feels great. In a week there are going to be less teams playing. I’m happy to be one of the teams still playing next week. This team is looking forward to going to the Garden and winning two games, and winning a championship.”

Hatten missed practice Wednesday with a stomach virus, and it showed. He had 15 points but missed half his free throws and committed a season-high 10 turnovers. Earlier this season, the Red Storm couldn’t have overcome such an outing. Last night, they did.

“By no means [could we have won]. It shows how much we’ve grown, how much players have come together,” said coach Mike Jarvis. “They know we can win games when Marcus isn’t playing, or isn’t having a good night . . . and he didn’t have a good night. That’s extra special.”

Glover had led four in double-figures, and his ability to play with center Grady Reynolds in the lineup has been the key to St. John’s winning seven of eight. Reynolds, who hails from Alabama and was recruited by UAB (21-13), wore out the Blazers inside with career-highs of 14 points and 14 boards.

UAB’s backcourt of Morris Finley and Eric Bush combined for 48 points, but the Red Storm countered by battering the Blazers 51-26 on the glass. A UAB team that nearly beat Louisville in Louisville for the Conference USA title got, as coach Mike Anderson said, “annihilated.”

Anderson – a Nolan Richardson disciple – has installed a pressing defense that led the country in steals, and the smallish Blazers got St. John’s into a frenetic pace early. But trailing 11-6, St. John’s began to go inside.