NEW YORK — St. John's kicked off the defense of its first Big East tournament title since 2000 with a strong 85-72 win over Providence on Thursday. The Red Storm dominated the boards, grabbing 51 rebounds, including 18 offensive, and outshot the Friars by 21 attempts.

Top-seeded and 13th-ranked St. John's (26-6) never trailed, taking control early with a 21-point halftime lead. “We played awesome defense tonight, especially the first half. It was as good as we played all year,” coach Rick Pitino said.

Big East Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Zuby Ejiofor led the way with 21 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and three blocks, becoming the first player in tournament history to reach those numbers in a single game.

The Red Storm will face fourth-seeded Seton Hall (21-11) in the semifinals on Friday. St. John's has had tough battles with the Pirates this season, rallying from a 15-point deficit for a 65-60 home win on Jan. 20 and winning 72-65 in Newark on March 6.

Seton Hall reached the semifinals after a 72-61 win over fifth-seeded Creighton. Coach Shaheen Holloway said, “They’re a very good team, obviously very well-coached, great players, but our guys played well throughout both games. We’re going to defend, play hard, and see what happens.”

Senior reserve Jacob Dar provided a big lift for the Pirates, scoring all 16 of his season-high points in the second half. Adam “Budd” Clark also contributed 16 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.

Clark reflected on the team’s progress: “We’re in the semifinals. That’s what we came here to the Big East for.”

The semifinal clash promises to be a physical showdown, building on the competitive history between these two teams this season.

—Larry Fleisher, Field Level Media/Reuters