JIM O’CONNELL
AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) – Anthony Glover’s three-point play with five seconds to play gave St. John’s a 62-61 victory over No. 12 Kentucky on Thursday night in the first round of the Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic.

Kentucky’s J.P. Blevins, right, is guarded by St. John’s Omar Cook during the first half of their Coaches vs Cancer Ikon Classic game, Thursday, Nov. 9, 2000 at Madison Square Garden in New York. (AP Photo/Ron Frehm)

Hitting a big free throw at Madison Square Garden to win a game is nothing new for Glover. The junior forward made two free throws with 2.6 seconds to play to give St. John’s a one-point victory over Miami in the Big East Conference tournament last March.

The Red Storm will play No. 7 Kansas, which beat No. 17 UCLA 99-98, in Friday night’s championship game.

Kentucky’s J. P. Blevins, left, grapples with St. John’s Alpha Bangura (15) for a loose ball during first half action in their Coaches vs Cancer Ikon Classic game, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2000 at Madison Square garden in New York. Kentucky’s Gerald Fitch, right, eyes the play.(AP Photo/Ron Frehm)

Neither team was able to generate much offense in the final minutes. St. John’s had three field goals in the final four minutes – all by Glover and two in the final 8.2 seconds – and the Red Storm were 9-for-20 from the free-throw line over the closing seven minutes.

Kentucky, meanwhile, had one field goal in the final five minutes and was 4-for-11 from the over the last 7:13.

Glover, who finished with 21 points, and Reggie Jessie, who had nine, accounted for 24 of St. John’s last 29 points. They are the only starters back from last season’s team.

Heralded freshman point guard Omar Cook was the story for St. John’s in the first half. He had 14 of his 18 points, including four 3-pointers, in the opening 20 minutes as Kentucky took a 31-28 lead.

Sophomore Marquis Estill, who didn’t play last season, led Kentucky with 15 points, while Marvin Stone and Keith Bogans had 14 each.

St. John’s Anthony Glover Shoots over Kentucky’s Marvin Stone, right, during the first half at Madison Square Garden in New York, Thursday, Nov. 9, 2000. (AP Photo/Ed Betz)

Stone made one of two free throws with 2:18 left to give the Wildcats a 58-57 lead. His rebound of a missed 3-pointer by Tayshaun Prince made it 60-67 with 1:35 to play.

Prince added a free throw with 22 seconds left for a 61-57 lead, but Stone missed two free throws with 14 seconds left.

Glover dunked a rebound of a missed drive by Cook with 8.2 seconds left. Kentucky turned the ball over with 6.4 seconds to play.

Cook inbounded the ball and got his fifth assist when he found Glover down low. He laid it in and was fouled and free throw gave St. John’s its first lead since 21-19 with 5:50 left in the first half.

Cliff Hawkins took off with the ball on the final play and he went to shoot from right near the 3-point line, he had the ball knocked away.

KENTUCKY (0-1) FGFTTotalParker 3-7 0-2 6Prince 2-9 1-2 5Stone 4-6 6-10 14Bogans 5-11 4-8 14Smith 1-4 2-3 5Blevins 0-1 0-0 0Fitch 0-2 0-0 0Estill 6-8 2-5 15Hawkins 0-2 2-2 2Total 21-50 17-32 61ST. JOHN'S (1-0)FGFTTotalGlover 8-15 5-5 21Jessie 4-10 1-3 9Cuffe 4-7 1-5 9Cook 6-15 1-2 18Shaw 0-3 0-0 0Bangura 0-2 0-1 0Keita 1-1 0-0 2Wolfinger 0-0 0-0 0Emanuel 1-2 0-0 2Fordham 0-3 1-4 1Totals 24-58 9-20 62 Halftime: Kentucky 31, St. John's 28. 3-Point goals: Kentucky 2-15 (Estill 1-1, Smith 1-4, Blevins 0-1, Fitch 0-1, Bogans 0-2, Prince 0-6), St. John's 5-17 (Cook 5-11, Jessie 0-3, Shaw 0-3). Fouled out: Smith, Emanuel. Rebounds: Kentucky 42 (Parker 10), St. John's 32 (Glover, Fordham 6). Assists: Kentucky 9 (Prince 4), St. John's 12 (Cook 5). Total fouls: Kentucky 21, St. John's 27. A: 16,415.