D.J. Kennedy scored 10 of his 19 points in St. John's game-closing 18-1 run and the Red Storm snapped a four-game losing streak to Hofstra with a 72-60 victory Sunday in the Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden.
Kennedy, who also had 15 rebounds, started the run with a reverse layup that got St. John's within three with 5:53 to play.
Charles Jenkins, who led the Pride (7-4) with 24 points, had given Hofstra a 59-54 lead with a 3-pointer with 6:58 to go. Hofstra missed its last 12 shots from the field as the Red Storm took control by going 10 of 13 from the free-throw line over the final 4:14.
St. John's (9-1) will play Cornell, which beat Davidson 91-88 in overtime, in the championship game Monday night.
Justin Brownlee had 10 points and 13 rebounds for St. John's, which finished with a 53-41 rebounding advantage.
