St. John's got the statement win it had been looking for all season, beating No. 11 Marquette 70-64 to remain atop the Big East standings at 11-1.

Kadary Richmond had 18 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists as No. 12 St. John’s beat No. 11 Marquette 70-64 in their showdown for first place in the Big East.

No. 12 St. John’s scored its most significant win of the season to date on Tuesday night when it rode suffocating defense and relentless rebounding to a 70-64 Big East victory over 11th-ranked Marquette before 16,

The Golden Eagles have dropped back-to-back games in their toughest stretch of the season, with a game at Creighton on Saturday.

St. John’s will not play the stylish basketball that has otherwise limited, even bogged down the game at the collegiate and professional levels. No, this is a throwback that most New Yorkers of an older generation fell in love with 30 years ago.