STONY BROOK, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Saint John’s Red Storm used a stifling defensive effort and a balanced scoring attack to cruise past the Stony Brook Seawolves 73-42 in a non-conference women’s basketball game Wednesday night at Island Federal Credit Union Arena.

The Red Storm (9-2) never trailed, holding the Seawolves (3-8) to single-digit scoring in three of the four quarters. Saint John’s built a 15-9 lead after the first quarter and extended it to 35-24 by halftime. The advantage ballooned to 51-33 after three quarters before Saint John’s closed with a 22-point fourth quarter.

The most important part of the game was Saint John’s immediate and sustained defensive pressure, which overwhelmed Stony Brook from the opening tip. The Seawolves struggled to initiate any consistent offense, committing numerous turnovers and shooting poorly from the field throughout the night. Saint John’s capitalized on these mistakes with efficient transition opportunities and controlled the paint at both ends, setting a tone that Stony Brook could never overcome.

Diaka Berete was the lone bright spot for Stony Brook, scoring a game-high 17 points in 34 minutes. The guard from Toronto accounted for nearly half of her team’s total offense, but received little support. The rest of the Seawolves combined for just 25 points on a night where they shot under 30 percent from the floor.

Saint John’s showcased its depth, with five players scoring eight or more points. Shaulana Wagner, a guard from Detroit, led the way with 12 points, three assists and a block in 23 minutes. Forward Sa’Mya Wyatt of Powder Springs, Georgia, provided a strong interior presence with 13 points, while fellow forward Beautiful Waheed of Milwaukee added 10 points.

The Red Storm’s ball movement and defensive activity were key, generating 12 assists and 11 steals as a team. Guard Jailah Donald dished out three assists, and forward Daniela Abies of Malaga, Spain, contributed eight points, two assists, a block and a steal. The Red Storm’s size also posed problems, as they blocked five Stony Brook shots.

Stony Brook’s offense was disjointed, managing only nine points in the first, third and fourth quarters. Guard Sandra Frau-Garcia of Pego, Spain, scored six points, but the Seawolves turned the ball over 22 times, which Saint John’s converted into 28 points off turnovers.

The game drew an announced crowd of 500.

Saint John’s, which entered the game with an 89.9 percent win probability according to Interstat’s ELO system, has now won two straight following a 62-55 victory over Providence on Dec. 7. The Red Storm’s only losses this season came against Creighton and Harvard.

Stony Brook has lost two consecutive games and five of its last six, with the lone win in that stretch an 85-38 victory over Division III opponent New Jersey City University on Dec. 1.

Saint John’s continues its homestand Saturday against Hofstra. Stony Brook will look to rebound at home Sunday against Duquesne.