Surging Seton Hall wallops St. John’s

One team looked like a senior-led squad that salvaged its season, and its hopes of qualifying for the NCAA tournament. The other looked like a freshmen-laden bunch, fatigued from hitting the wall and frustrated by losing. Seton Hall’s 94-64 beating of young St. John’s was every bit as ugly as it sounds.

The tired-looking Red Storm (10-16, 4-10 Big East) lost its fourth straight, this one in ugly fashion. It let Seton Hall shoot 62.3 percent, including 15-of-24 from behind the arc, and gave the Pirates by far their single-best argument to get invited to the Big Dance, the single most authoritative line on a solid resume.

AP

DRIVE TIME: Jordan Theodore, who scored 16 points and had 10 assists, drives past St. John’s Phil Greene during Seton Hall’s 94-64 victory last night at the Prudential Center.

“They took us behind the woodshed,’’ said assistant Mike Dunlap, who has been filling in for Steve Lavin who is recovering from prostate cancer surgery. “It was just an avalanche of confidence for them. They probably could’ve had their team manager out there and he would’ve hit a 3. ’’

Just a week ago, the Pirates (18-8, 7-7) — ranked 30th in the latest RPI standings, and aiming for their first NCAA bid since 2006 — snapped a six-game skid.

“Man, honestly, what’s different? Everything,” said senior point guard Jordan Theodore (16 points, 10 assists), who has led their resurgence. “Man, that six-game stretch ... I was in the house every day. I was in the gym also, but I wasn’t going out. I wasn’t answering my phone.”

Coach Kevin Willard kept preaching their goals were still attainable, and they are because of Theodore.

“Eight straight [3-pointers] without missing: Wide-open, hand in their face,” said St. John’s Sir’Dominic Pointer, who had a dozen points but saw the Pirates shred their zone. “We contested five of them. They just hit ’em.’’

A 10-0 Seton Hall run turned a 16-15 lead into a double-digit cushion. It led 40-28 at the break and hit its first nine 3-pointers of the second half. Senior forward Herb Pope also had 10 points and 10 rebounds.

“Coach kept saying, guys we control our own [NCAA tournament] destiny,” said freshman forward Brandon Mobley (14 points).

Moore said he saw frustration set in on the Red Storm, who play six freshmen and have lost four straight by a combined 87 points.

“Yeah I could tell on the court they were arguing with each other when one person messed up,’’ Mobley said. “But there’s really nothing they can do; they have no seniors.’’

brian.lewis@nypost.com