Shamorie Ponds scored 27 points as host St. John's started quickly and never trailed en route to a 78-70 victory over Seton Hall on Saturday night in New York.

Ponds came into the game averaging 12.3 points and shooting 28.8 percent in his last four games but helped St. John's (20-8, 8-7 Big East) win for the fourth time in six games. The junior guard made 10 of 18 shots and scored at least 20 points for the 16th time this season.

Marvin Clark II added 18 for St. John's, which reached 20 wins for only the fourth time in the last 16 seasons and avenged a controversial loss at Seton Hall on Dec. 29.

Justin Simon added 10 points as the Red Storm shot 48.3 percent and led by as many 23 points in the first half on a night when second-leading scorer Mustapha Heron (sore right knee) sat out.

Myles Powell scored 22 of his 26 points after halftime for Seton Hall (16-11, 7-8), which attempted several comebacks that ultimately fell short. Powell was 9 of 21 from the floor and the Pirates shot 40.4 percent.

Powell and Quincy McKnight also combined for 13 of Seton Hall's 22 turnovers which tied a season high.

Ponds scored seven points as St. John's made its first five shots and sped out to a 12-2 lead in the first 2:42, forcing Seton Hall to use a timeout. The lead ballooned to 28-5 on a basket by Figueroa with 11:11 left following Seton Hall's ninth turnover.

Seton Hall switched to a zone defense and scored 11 straight points as St. John's missed eight straight shots before Ponds hit a jumper with 4:27 left to make it 30-16. St. John's stabilized in the final minutes of the first half and held a 38-20 lead at halftime.

Seton Hall started the second half with an 11-2 run and was within 40-31 on a layup by Sandro Mamukelashvili with 17:25 left. Ponds hit two baskets as St. John's responded with a 12-2 run to extend the lead to 52-33 with 13:11 remaining.

Seton Hall was within 68-62 when Powell connected with Michael Nzei for a layup with 2:39 remaining and it was a five-point game on a free throw by Nzei with 1:46 left. After Powell committed his final turnover, Clark hit two free throws with 61 seconds left and Powell missed a 3-pointer 11 seconds later.

--Field Level Media