Last year, St. John’s had a finishing gear, a level it could hit with the game on the line.

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Saturday afternoon, Alabama hit that extra gear.

The 15th-ranked Crimson Tide broke open a close game late with a 14-1 run and pulled out a 103-96 victory at the Garden to send No. 5 St. John’s to its first loss.

The Johnnies rallied from 11 down to briefly take the lead, but ran out of gas.

Really, they had no answer for Alabama’s dynamic guards Labaron Philon and Aden Holloway, who combined for 46 points.

Sadiku Ibine Ayo and Bryce Hopkins of the St. John’s Red Storm and Amari Allen of the A

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