When the dusk settled Eugeneia McPherson couldn't argue too much about the day's festivities.

McPherson, a fifth-year senior who saw what was supposed to be her senior season end prematurely after suffering a torn ACL, made her first start of the season for St. John's and did it at Madison Square Garden in the Maggie Dixon Classic. McPherson finished with 14 points and hit a huge 3-pointer in the final three minutes as the Red Storm defeated Texas A&M.

"I enjoyed it," McPherson said. "This is my favorite game by far, we played in this tournament for three years and we have never won so it is nice to go out with the bang and it is my first game back in the Garden."

McPherson also got to see her former high school teammate Bria Hartley help the top-ranked UConn women's basketball team move to 12-0 with an 80-47 win over California.

In between games I asked McPherson to reflect on her time playing alongside Hartley at North Babylon High School.

"We were best friends in high school," McPherson said. "She was very shy and I was the more outgoing one and seeing her now, I feel like I am the big sister to her, she is out of her shell now and it is nice to see her leading UConn, the No. 1 team in the country.

"She has always been a great player and she has become a better player at UConn, she was a great leader, she helped me out and we helped each other out. Now to see her out there leading the No. 1 team in the country is a great thing to say I played with her in the past, I am proud of her for what she accomplished so far.