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Zuby Ejiofor Elevates Red Storm Over Nova in Bounce-back Win

BQE Admin on March 3, 2026

St. John’s captain records first ever triple-double to blow out the visiting Wildcats

Zuby Ejiofor recorded his first ever competitive triple-double, becoming the fourth known member of St. John’s to do so. He follows Kadary Richmond’s 2025 performance, Ron Artest’s in 1999, and David Cain’s in the 1993 NCAA Tournament. (Photos by Noah Zimmerman)

By Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

It was wire to wire dominance for the UConn Huskies in Hartford, Connecticut last Wednesday night. After falling at Madison Square Garden a few weeks ago, the #6 team in the nation blew out the #15 ranked St. John’s Red Storm, 72-40.

For the visiting Johnnies it was by far their worst shooting performance of the season. Their 40 points were the lowest scored by either team in a Red Storm game this year. It also marked the least points ever scored by a Rick Pitino-coached team.

Joson Sanon was the only Johnnie in double figures, scoring 10 points on 3/10 shooting. The Red Storm hit just 25% of their perimeter shots and 20% of their field goal attempts. 

In the second half they only converted two field goal attempts, missing their last 24 and only scoring 14 total points. The missed-FG streak is the longest in Division 1 and the worst stretch for any nationally ranked or BIG EAST team in eight years.

“All I know is we didn’t play good offense,” said Pitino after the game. “We did things that we’ve never done. And again, that’s something I got to question about myself, and I will question it because the team did not do the things we’ve done in the last 13 games. Give [UConn] credit. We’ll move on.”

“I’ve never been through that experience,” said Zuby Ejiofor when asked to describe what happened on Wednesday night. “This loss is one that you really want to forget and move on to the next opponent because Villanova is a great team as well. Championship-level teams respond in a positive way, and my job is to make sure that we are a lot more prepared for the next opponent than we were tonight.”

St. John’s were more than prepared as they opened an early 11-2 lead against the Wildcats on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. The lead ballooned as large as 30 points in the first half, punctuated by a series of invigorating dunks.

Ian Jackson had five steals against Nova, setting a career high. He took one all the way to the bucket with an emphatic windmill jam.

All over the ball on the defensive end was Ian Jackson, who amassed an impressive three first half steals en route to a career-best five. His transition dunk was the cherry on top; an emphatic windmill slam that brought the raucous MSG crowd to their feet. Jackson scored 19, one of his best nights as a Johnnie.

Things didn’t get much easier for Villanova in the second half. Freshman forward Matt Hodge went down with an injury later confirmed to be a season-ending ACL tear, and despite his teammates coming to life and briefly cutting the deficit to 20 points, the Red Storm maintained a comfortable advantage.

In the waning moments of the matchup, Zuby Ejiofor put the finishing touches on a dominant night. With just over three minutes to go he found Joson Sanon for a midrange jumper, tallying his 10th assist.

Zuby knocks down a deep jumper against Villanova. He was firing on all cylinders, dominating on offense and defense.

The MSG crowd roared once more as Ejiofor celebrated his first ever competitive triple-double. The Red Storm captain scored 16 points with 12 rebounds to go with his career-high in assists, also picking up three blocks and a steal on the defensive end.

Zuby’s triple-double marks just the fourth in St. John’s history. He followed Kadary Richmond’s 2025 performance, Ron Artest’s in 1999, and David Cain’s in the 1993 NCAA Tournament.

On the same day as Zuby’s, Richmond picked up his first professional triple-double with the Capital City Go-Go in the NBA G League. Another senior from last year’s Red Storm squad, Deivon Smith, recorded his own the following day for the G League’s Santa Cruz Warriors.

Rick Pitino brought out the white suit for Saturday night’s contest. It delighted the sold-out MSG crowd, who gave him a standing ovation.

The Red Storm out-assisted Villanova 26-11 and out-rebounded them 40-26. It was complete dominance and a much-needed bounce back win as St. John’s heads into their season finale this Friday night in New Jersey.

Following an emotional senior night on Tuesday against Georgetown, all that’s left to decide the BIG EAST regular season championship is the Red Storm’s contest against the Seton Hall Pirates and UConn’s matchup with last place Marquette.

If UConn and St. John’s finish tied, the Red Storm will likely claim the top seed for the BIG EAST Tournament due to their sweep against Creighton. The tournament runs from March 11 to the 14 at Madison Square Garden.

On Mondayís AP College Basketball Rankings the Red Storm slid to #18, with UConn back up to #4. Villanova is also receiving votes and should appear in the NCAA Tournament later this month.

Streak Hits 13 as Red Storm Take Over BIG EAST Lead

BQE Admin on February 24, 2026

Regular Season nears finale as Johnnies beat Marquette and Creighton, rise to #15

It was a Red Storm rampage from start to finish on Saturday afternoon. Their win over Creighton was the largest in BIG EAST play at Madison Square Garden since 1992! (Photos by Noah Zimmerman)

By Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

The Red Storm surged into first place outright in the BIG EAST last week following a win on the road against the Marquette Golden Eagles and a UConn loss to Creighton. St. John’s would go on to thank Creighton with a blowout win over the weekend, downing the Bluejays 81 to 52.

It wasn’t pretty but the Red Storm did enough to dispatch the bottom-dwelling Golden Eagles. Despite blowing a sizable lead around halftime, St. John’s were able to lock in late to claim a 76-70 win.

Bryce Hopkins led St. John’s scorers with 23 points, also pulling down ten boards for a double-double. He didn’t get much help as only Oziyah Sellers and Zuby Ejiofor scored in double figures. Dillon Mitchell and Dylan Darling were both held scoreless, though they led the team in assists with four and five, respectively.

On Saturday afternoon, the Red Storm looked for a much more decisive result. They opened play against Creighton with an 8-0 run, holding a ten-point advantage for most of the opening frame.

It was Johnnies Day at the Garden, and fans were in high spirits with their red shirts and signs. The Red Storm fans were invigorated by a Darling steal and Ejiofor dunk, re-establishing a double-digit lead after a pair of Fedor Zugic threes cut the lead to six.

By the end of the first half, St. John’s were firmly in control, 42-27. In the second frame, the Red Storm began to really pull away.

It didn’t take long until the lead was up to 30 points, growing as large as 33 in the final minutes of action. There was no path back into the game for the Bluejays as St. John’s finished off their biggest conference win at MSG since 1992, when they took down the #6 UConn Huskies.

A pair of 15-point performances by Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins led the way for St. John’s starters but it was another stellar game from Dylan Darling to lead the way for the Red Storm. Darling scored 17 points on 5/7 shooting, also picking up a game-high three steals.

Bryce Hopkins has turned his season around, especially in the last few games since a heated exchange in Providence.

For Creighton, no Bluejay scored more than Zugic’s 9 (3/5 from three). They were handily out-assisted and out-rebounded by St. John’s and matched their season worst with 18 turnovers.

With the win, St. John’s improved to 15-1 in the BIG EAST and 22-5 overall. On Monday they continued to ascend the AP College Basketball rankings, moving to #15. It’s their highest mark since they were ranked #14 in November.

Dylan Darling has been spectacular during the Red Storm winning streak. He filled the bucket off the bench against the Bluejays.

Wednesday night’s battle in Connecticut could prove to be a decisive one with just three games remaining in regular season play. The Red Storm have all but clinched a top seed and bye for the start of the BIG EAST tournament, but there’s still work to be done to see out a phenomenal finish to the season.

On Saturday night the Red Storm will take on Villanova at Madison Square Garden, their final big matchup of the season. The Wildcats have been on the cusp of the Top-25 for a good portion of the season, also playing the Johnnies well despite an 86-79 loss in Pennsylvania earlier this year.

The final home game of the regular season is next Tuesday, March 3. St. John’s and the Georgetown Hoyas will start at 7pm. The season finale will tip-off across the Hudson River when the Red Storm visit the Seton Hall Pirates on Friday, March 6.

No Love Between St. John’s & Providence on Valentine’s Day

BQE Admin on February 18, 2026

Heated brawl breaks out in Providence as Red Storm win 11th straight

By Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

It was a heated affair on Valentine’s Day as the St. John’s Red Storm looked to avenge their lone BIG EAST loss of the season. This time in enemy territory, the Johnnies looked to fend off a physical Friars team that handed them a 77-71 loss at Madison Square Garden to kick off 2026.

The arena was a powder keg as Bryce Hopkins made his return to Rhode Island after transferring to St. John’s for his final year of eligibility. It felt like something was destined to happen after the first matchup between the Johnnies and Friars, and the home crowd was on their toes waiting for that spark.

That spark came five minutes into the second half of a tight ballgame, as the former Friar was fouled hard from behind. The aggressor, Providence’s Duncan Powell, was quickly swarmed by red shirts as he and Dillon Mitchell took swings at each other.

Six total players were ejected from the game. For the Friars, Powell and graduate guard Jaylin Sellers were thrown out, with the former handed a three-game suspension for “combative actions.” 

St. John’s went without Mitchell for the majority of the second half, ejected for attempting to punch Powell. Ruben Prey, Sadiku Ibine Ayo and Kelvin Odih were tossed for leaving the St. John’s bench during the scrap.

Still, for the visitors, the grit needed to win came between the lines, rather than in extra-curricular activities.

“We didn’t initiate anything,” commented Head Coach Rick Pitino after the game. “We talked about toughness as not turning the ball over, creating steals, getting offensive rebounds. That’s what we believe toughness is, and that’s all we talked about throughout the entire time.”

Pitino, who previously coached at Providence and led the Friars to the Final Four in 1987, was disappointed in the home crowd, who seemed bloodthirsty.

“I think the crowd lost objectivity of what they’re here for,” he said. “If they’re just here to poke fun at Bryce Hopkins and not get a win for the Friars, that’s not the Friars I remember in ‘87.”

Play resumed after a 20-minute delay, and the Red Storm quickly asserted themselves. Free throws and a quick bucket. They would keep their foot on the gas and see out the win, 79-69. It was the 11th consecutive victory for St. John’s dating back to their loss to Providence. Compared to the Johnnies, Providence has lost all but three contests since their upset win at MSG.

“I feel like we responded in the best way possible,” said Zuby Ejiofor, who finished with 14 points to lead St. John’s starters. “We were without [four] of our players and you know, Dylan [Darling] does what Dylan has been pretty much doing for a big stretch now. So I’m really proud of the guys, knowing how we competed for 40 minutes.”

Darling finished with a game-best 23 points, also picking up eight rebounds and three steals. 17 of those points came in the second half, where he was instrumental in the visitors pulling away and maintaining a lead down the stretch.

Darling’s play has been instrumental during the current winning streak and it’s clear St. John’s will need their dynamic guard performing come postseason in both the BIG EAST and NCAA tournament.

“Somebody needed to step up, I just try to bring energy,” said Darling about his performance. “We knew we needed to focus on every small detail to win the game, and that was really just our focus.”

On Monday Darling was named Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association Player of the Week, following Ejiofor who won the honor the week before. Darling also picked up his first appearance on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll.

The Johnnies are back at MSG this weekend to finish the season series with the Creighton Bluejays. Tip-off is set for noon on Saturday the 21. 

After this weekend, only a pair of home games remain in the Red Storm schedule. On February 28 they welcome Villanova to Madison Square Garden, before hosting Georgetown in their penultimate regular season matchup on March 3.

Next week the Red Storm head back to New England, this time to play the #5 UConn Huskies in Hartford, CT. It’s sure to be another thrilling contest with the St. John’s streak still going strong and UConn looking to answer following their defeat earlier this month.

red Hot red Storm Take Down #3 Huskies at MSG

BQE Admin on February 12, 2026

St. John’s soars to #17, beats Xavier in OT

St. John’s senior Bryce Hopkins drives from the perimeter against UConn. Photos: Noah Zimmerman

By Noah Zimmerman

Noah@queensledger.com

St. John’s were finally able to pick up their first ranked win of the season, and it came against their toughest opponent of the year. On Friday night, the Red Storm welcomed their rivals, the #3 UConn Huskies, to the world’s most famous arena.

On the back of an 8-game winning streak, St. John’s began their ascent back up the national rankings after an unceremonious plummet from the top-25. They were tabbed at #22 in the nation ahead of Friday’s matchup.

It was an electric night at the Garden, drawing by far the loudest crowd with a primetime sellout. Fans were involved in every play, both on offense and defense. Visiting UConn supporters were noisy as well, with trash talk aplenty between the rival fanbases.

Red Storm wing Joson Sanon plays tough defense on UConn’s Solo Ball. Huskies head coach Dan Hurley is animated on the sideline.

Zuby Ejiofor was unbelievable in Friday’s contest. The St. John’s captain recorded another double-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. He added a trio of blocks and a pair of steals on defense for a terrific all-around game. Ejiofor was named BIG EAST and MWPA Player of the Week for his dominance against DePaul and UConn, adding fuel to his push for conference Player of the Year.

Bryce Hopkins and Dillon Mitchell helped Zuby with 15 and 14 points, respectively. The trio combined for 17/26 shooting and 22 of the Red Storm’s 32 rebounds. Off the bench Dylan Darling continued to put together a remarkable second half of the year, adding an efficient 9.

Hopkins gets to the glass for a bucket. He finished with 15 points.

For the Huskies it was senior Alex Karaban who really impressed. The forward went up against one of the top frontcourts in the nation and picked up an efficient 17 points on 7/10 shooting (3/4 from downtown). Silas DeMary Jr. led the Huskies with 18 points, but the UConn guard was hounded all game, resulting in 9 turnovers.

While they got help from the other starters, UConn’s bench only managed to score six combined points, nine less than the Red Storm reserves.

In the final minutes the Red Storm were unable to gain significant ground. Karaban brought the Huskies within a pair of points, but St. John’s were just barely able to keep ahead thanks to terrific defense down the stretch.

It was a short turnaround, but on Monday night Rick Pitino welcomed his son Richard and the Xavier Musketeers to MSG.

Fatigue looked to play a role as the Red Storm couldn’t hold a significant lead through the opening half. Every score had an answer, with Xavier hitting big shots to level the game at multiple points, including a three right at halftime to make it 42-42.

A focal point of the Red Storm defense was limiting Musketeers forward Tre Carroll, who scored 31 in the first matchup against St. John’s. The FAU transfer was held to just four points in the opening frame.

St. John’s made sure to keep Tre Carroll off the board in the first half, limiting him to 4 points. The Musketeers star scored 31 in their first matchup.

Bryce Hopkins stepped into a critical defensive role late, helping contain Carroll and other Xavier bigs and prevent a 2nd half collapse. He made a few terrific stops, but St. John’s just couldn’t get the game squared away as Xavier forced OT.

In the extra period, Xavier’s foul trouble finally got to them. On consecutive defensive possessions Jovan Milicevic, Isaiah Walker, and Malik Messina-Moore picked up their 5th and final personal fouls. Carroll scored 17 in the 2nd half but was kept from attempting a single shot in OT.

Zuby and Hopkins bullied Xavier on defense and drew fouls on the other end before the game was finally punctuated by an Oziyah Sellers fastbreak to make it 87-82.

It was a tough battle but St. John’s were able to pick up the win in an overtime battle, 87-82.

Rick Pitino picked up win #904, passing Roy Williams for 3rd on the all-time NCAA Division I wins list. Still, with the game going to overtime, Pitino wasn’t fully pleased with the effort.

“I hate getting any milestone against him but I go away tonight saying my son is a hell of a coach,” said Pitino postgame. “To say my son is a great coach is much more pleasing than any number of victories.”

The Red Storm will hit the road for three of their next four matchups. On Valentine’s Day the Johnnies have a date in Providence with the Friars, looking to avenge their lone BIG EAST defeat. Then on the 18th they head to Milwaukee to take on the basement-dwelling Marquette.

St. John’s returns to Madison Square Garden on February 21 to finish their season set against the Creighton Bluejays.

Red Storm Rise up to #22, Host #3 Huskies on Friday

BQE Admin on February 5, 2026

By Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

St. John’s moved up to #22 on Monday’s AP college basketball rankings as the Red Storm picked up their 7th consecutive BIG EAST win. Since falling to the Friars Pitino’s squad has shifted into gear, making sure they keep a foot in the spotlight as the conference schedule nears its midway point.

St. John’s started with a program-best #5 preseason ranking, but fell out of the Top-25 following a loss to Kentucky in December. They made their return as the final team on the AP leaderboard last week, moving up three more spots after beating Butler last week. The Johnnies now rank ahead of undefeated Miami (OH), Louisville, and Tennessee, sitting just behind the Arkansas Razorbacks, who eliminated them in last year’s NCAA tournament.

On Friday comes the biggest test of the season when Dan Hurley and the #3 UConn Huskies head to Madison Square Garden. It’s the first of two matchups this year between the BIG EAST’s best and the visitors will be salivating for a taste of revenge after last year’s sweep.

The Huskies haven’t dropped out of the top-10 this season, still perfect in conference play. Their lone loss came five games into the season against Arizona, who was ranked #4 at the time and now sits as the top-ranked team in the nation, 22-0 in .

Friday’s game is a huge hurdle for the Red Storm, who have gone 0-3 against ranked opponents this year. Those losses came to #15 Alabama early in the season before falling to #15 Iowa State and #21 Baylor during the Players Era Festival in November.

The Huskies will be the first taste of Top-10 opposition this season for St. John’s, although they took on Michigan in preseason when the Wolverines were ranked #7 (Michigan has since gone 20-1, overtaking UConn for the #2 ranking this week).

They’ve been a brand new team as of late, but if the Red Storm hope to defend their BIG EAST regular season or tournament championships, they’re going to have to find a way past the Huskies.

Johnnies Down Bluejays

BQE Admin on January 15, 2026

Best shooting night of the year gives the Red Storm a big road win over Creighton

By Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

The St. John’s Red Storm picked up vital BIG EAST wins on the road last week, defeating the Butler Bulldogs in Indianapolis before taking down the Creighton Bluejays in Omaha. Coming off a brutal loss to Providence, Rick Pitino and his team are looking to reestablish themselves and catch fire for an important stretch of conference play.

The win in Nebraska was done by way of aerial assault, playmaking, and rebounding. The Red Storm knocked down 12 threes and won both the assist and rebounding battles.

Seven of the St. John’s three-pointers came off the bench, with Lefteris Liotopoulos shooting 5/8 from downtown and Dylan Darling hitting 2/4. The Red Storm finished with 52.2% shooting from deep, by far their best mark in what’s been a relatively rough season from the floor.

For Liotopoulos, the past few BIG EAST matchups have been a good opportunity to earn important minutes in the rotation. The Sophomore out of Greece recorded his second double-digit scoring performance of the year on January 6 at Butler (10 points, matching Dec. 13 vs Iona) before using his sharpshooting to set a career high with 17 against the Bluejays in Omaha.

The back-to-back conference wins are just the beginning if St. John’s wants to steady a rocking ship. The #4 UConn Huskies are going to be very difficult to catch, already 6-0 in BIG EAST play and in order to secure a tournament bid they’ll need to finish near the top of a competitive conference.

Following Tuesday’s matchup with Marquette the next two contests for the Red Storm are on the road against 2nd place Villanova on Saturday and next Tuesday at MSG against 3rd place Seton Hall, who broke into the nation’s Top 25 this week.

“After the loss [to Providence] we gathered together and said, ‘we’re not going to lose anymore,’” said Liotopoulos following the win over Creighton. “We were great in practice, aggressive with a lot of energy and that translated on the court.”

The goal is set, and now it’s time for the Red Storm to deliver. Can they start the transformation of MSG back into the fortress it was last season, and can they do it in emphatic fashion against the rival Pirates?

Johnnies Drop Out of the Top-25

BQE Admin on December 25, 2025

By Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

The St. John’s Red Storm are ranked no more, and it was a long time coming. After a brutal defeat to Kentucky over the weekend, the Johnnies finally lost their spot in the national rankings, one they’ve held since January. After ranked losses to Alabama, Iowa State, and Auburn, it was the 78-66 loss to unranked Kentucky that ended the St. John’s stint in the Top-25. 

The second half was nothing short of a disaster in the CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta, GA. After holding Kentucky to 25 first half points, St. John’s was outscored 53-34 in the second frame, scoring nearly half of those points from the free throw line.

Head Coach Rick Pitino and his captains have committed to growth more than a few times this season, and now their words are starting to feel a little familiar and repetitive with that promised growth still to be seen.

‘I’m disappointed in any loss, but it’s not my job to be disappointed. My job is to make the team better,” said Pitino after the defeat. “We can be a good team, and we can get better and better and better.”

There isn’t much time left for St. John’s to get better, and following Tuesday’s matchup against Harvard, all that’s left in the Johnnies schedule is their BIG EAST slate. Their final 19 games include two against the #4 UConn Huskies, as well as matchups with a much improved Seton Hall squad. 

Additionally, Creighton, Butler, Georgetown, Xavier, Villanova, and DePaul have all started the season with 8 or more wins, a sign that the BIG EAST will be a fiery contest this season and in the conference tournament next year.

Senior big man Zuby Ejiofor is well aware of the challenge and time constraint as he looks to lead his team to a conference title defense and a return to the NCAA Tournament, but acknowledged that they can’t let their focus drift far from the next game on the schedule.

“It’s important to take one game at a time and take things one day at a time,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of opportunities, so we’ve got to stay focused and keep working.”

This season is far from over for St. John’s, but if they don’t see improved performances and consistency, it’s hard to envision Pitino’s group reaching the same heights as last year’s team.

Johnnies Beat Iona at The Garden

BQE Admin on December 19, 2025

Pitino Downs Former School, Zuby Block Party Continues, & Jackson Gets Start

Zuby Ejiofor leaps for the opening tip against Ole Miss just a week before the Iona matchup. The Red Storm big man recorded 8 blocks in each of the two games.

By Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

Rick Pitino vanquished his former team on Saturday afternoon as the St. John’s Red Storm took down the Iona Gaels at Madison Square Garden, 91-64. Pitino spent three seasons in New Rochelle, leading the Gaels to two MAAC regular season titles, two conference championships, and two trips to the NCAA Tournament. The win over Iona marked Pitino’s 20th over teams he had previously coached.

“Iona is such a special place because every coach that coaches there wins. Kevil Willard started there, I certainly was rejuvenated there,” Pitino said about his former school.

Even after another slow start (this time missing 12 of their first 13 field goal attempts, St. John’s were able to outscore the Gaels 36-26 in the opening half before pulling away in the second frame.

Scoring for St. John’s was led by Oziyah Sellers with 19, though 16 of them came in the 2nd half. His strong performance led him to a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll.

Ian Jackson got the nod at guard over Dylan Darling for the Red Storm. It was the Sophomore transfer’s first start since the opening game of the season against Quinnipiac, and he put up a solid 14 points with 5 rebounds and a joint-team-high 3 assists. Jackson made a change of his own, chopping off his iconic hair, leading to some amusing comments by his teammates and coach.

Zuby Ejiofor was the only SJU starter to record less than 13 points, but the Red Storm big man continued his tremendous work on the defensive end with 8 blocks for a 2nd straight game. Ejiofor also pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds in the winning effort. Led by Ejiofor, the Red Storm defense is finally starting to come around as a strong point.

“We realized we weren’t a very good defensive team. Last year’s team around Christmas time wasn’t a very good defensive team either and they became one of the great defensive teams in the nation,” Pitino said about their improved effort on that end of the floor. “I think we can get to that point, we just need to keep our turnovers down because you beat yourself when you turn the ball over.”

Defense isn’t the only spot where the Red Storm needs to improve. Their inability to start games hot and inconsistent shooting will be a difficult spot as the season enters conference play and eventually the BIG EAST Tournament and beyond. If they’re unable to find consistency on that end of the floor, there’s only so much the defense can do to see out big wins down the stretch.

Following Tuesday’s contest against De Paul the Red Storm is on the road to take on the Kentucky Wildcats in the CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta. Tip off will be Saturday December 20 at 12:30pm. St. John’s comes back to Carnesecca Arena for their final game in Queens on Tuesday the 23 against Harvard.

Back and Forth November Continues for Johnnies

BQE Admin on November 26, 2025

SJU Blows out Bucknell but falls to #18 Iowa St. in Las Vegas

By Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

The St. John’s Red Storm were 48-point winners in Queens last Thursday, dominating the Bucknell Bison. It was an impressive showing on both sides for the Johnnies, who looked to build momentum ahead of their second ranked matchup of the season. Unfortunately, just as they did against the Alabama Crimson Tide, St. John’s fell just short against top-20 opposition, losing to the Iowa State Cyclones in a narrow contest.

The Bucknell battle was never particularly close despite the Bison opening with a 8-2 lead. Head coach Rick Pitino pulled all his starters to have a conversation with them as the bench unit recaptured the lead and positioned the squad for their runaway performance.

In the second half, the Johnnies came out with a vengeance. Pitino’s halftime words clearly sparked a fervent defense that was all over Bucknell in the final 20 minutes. Offensively the Red Storm went to work, finishing just 3 points shy of the triple-digit mark.

Ian Jackson and Bryce Hopkins both recorded their best games for the Red Storm with 20 points apiece. Jackson also broke his turnover curse, something Pitino had remarked on a few times earlier this season.

The second ranked battle of the season came down to the wire in Las Vegas as the Red Storm and Iowa State Cyclones went after each other in a wild, physical battle. With both teams holding a lead in the final minutes, it was a tight 83-82 win for the Cyclones.

Pitino kept the final Red Storm timeout in his pocket for the final few St. John’s possessions, none of which were particularly threatening. Down 83-80, a frantic final 29 seconds led to a rushed three-point attempt by Zuby Ejiofor, and the rebound was put back for an ultimately inconsequential layup as time expired.

“We played a terrific basketball team, and with the game on the line, we couldn’t come up with the rebound,” said Pitino postgame. “You’ve got to create rebounding space and we were not doing that.”

The Cyclones narrowly out-rebounded the Red Storm 38-36, with the edge coming on the offensive glass, 17-15. The Johnnies also missed 7 free throws, another struggle that will hurt them down the line if trends continue.

The Red Storm were in action on Tuesday afternoon against Baylor, and the results from the first two games dictated the rest of their week in Las Vegas. The Johnnies will return to New York with Madison Square Garden matchups against the Ole Miss Rebels on December 6 at 8pm and the Iona Gaels (Pitino’s former team) on December 13 at noon.

Johnnies Fall to Alabama in First Ranked Matchup of the Year

BQE Admin on November 13, 2025

St. John’s drops to #13 in AP poll

By Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

The St. John’s Red Storm fell in a wild battle at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. In an early matchup against nationally ranked opposition, the Crimson Tide became just the second team to score 100+ points against Rick Pitino’s St. John’s team (Creighton defeated the Red Storm 104-76 in January of 2023).

Pitino commented many times on Alabama’s pace of play going into last weekend’s game and he was right to treat their offense with such high regard. Alabama native Labaron Philon Jr. was unstoppable off the dribble as he led the visitors with 25 points. Also piling on the points from the Crimson Tide backcourt was Aden Holloway with 21. Alabama were able to register an impressive 81 field goal attempts, hitting just under half of them.

It was a decision by Pitino and the program to face teams as talented as Alabama early in the season, also set to face tough SEC teams like Kentucky and Ole Miss this season after falling to Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament last season.

“We learned a lot tonight,” said Pitino postgame. “Disappointed we lost but we certainly learned a lot and we’ll get better from it. As a head coach I need to find out where our deficiencies lie and I found out tonight.”

“I’d like to thank Coach Pitino for the opportunity,” said Alabama Head Coach Nate Oats. “He doesn’t have to play a tough schedule so I’m thankful for all of us to come [to MSG] to play the game. Whether we won or lost it would have been a good experience for us.”

St. John’s showed why they were ranked so highly entering the season. Zuby Ejiofor was back to his dominant self in the first half, scoring 21 of his 27 points in the opening frame. He and Bryce Hopkins set the tone early, combining to score all 16 of the Red Storm points in the first 8 minutes. Alabama did well to contain the rest of the Johnnies offense, picking their poison and limiting the damage from deep.

The Crimson Tide led by 9 at the half after a late scoring burst. In the second half, some clutch scoring by Ian Jackson, Oziyah Sellers, and Ruben Pray helped cut into the deficit, eventually putting the Red Storm back on top late. Jackson scored 7 points early in the 2nd to lead an incredible run, finishing with 14 off the bench.

The Red Storm were without transfer guard Dylan Darling, but Pitino said that he wouldn’t have made much of an impact as he was an offense-first guard and referencing the dominance by Philon Jr. and Holloway. The junior missed practice and the game with a calf strain, though Pitino suggested that he should be back in action for Saturday’s game against William & Mary.

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