Basketball Recap: Kandyce Snelson-Mathis Key Part of a Team Effort in Islanders Win

St. John hadn't done well against Cross recently (they were 0-9 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. The St. John's Islanders walked away with a 34-26 victory over the Cross Trojans. For the Islanders, this counts as revenge for the 48-45 win the Trojans walked away with the last time they faced one another back in February of 2024.

St. John's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Kandyce Snelson-Mathis, who dropped a double-double on 11 points and 12 rebounds. Those 11 points gave Snelson-Mathis a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Daeshia Buford, who posted eight points in addition to five boards and four steals.

St. John's smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 13 offensive rebounds in six consecutive contests.

Cross' loss came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Lauren Middleton, who put up nine points along with five rebounds and three blocks. That was a full 34.6% of Cross' points, marking the third time in a row she's earned more than a third of the team's points.

St. John's record is now 6-7. As for Cross, their record is now 2-10.

St. John's has already played their next game, a 55-14 victory against Lowcountry Leadership on the 1st. As for Cross, they also wasted no time getting back out on the court and have already played their next match, a 39-12 win against Charleston Math & Science on the 31st.