DePaul falls to St. John’s in Big East action

NEW YORK — Malik Ellison hit 5 of 6 3-pointers and scored a career-high 23 points to help St. John’s end a four-game slide with a 78-68 victory over DePaul on Monday night.

After Billy Garrett Jr. missed a long 3-pointer for DePaul with the shot clock winding down, Marcus LoVett grabbed the long rebound and made a contested layup in transition for a 67-56 lead. It was LoVett’s only made field goal of the game. Garrett hit two free throws on the other end but Ellison answered with a 3-pointer to make it 70-58.

Shamorie Ponds and Bashir Ahmed each scored 14 points for St. John’s (9-11, 3-4 Big East). Ponds sank four of St. John’s 12 3-pointers as the Red Storm made 54.5 percent from distance. Tariq Owens had 10 points, nine rebounds and four blocks.

Garrett scored 16 points for DePaul (8-11, 1-5) but he had six of the Blue Demons’ 16 turnovers. Eli Cain added 15 points, Tre’Darius McCallum had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Joe Hanel scored 12. The Blue Demons have lost seven of their last eight games.

It was St. John’s final game on campus this season.