St. John’s Falls Short Against Iowa State

LAS VEGAS — Another game, another loss for St. John’s. This one stung a bit more, though.

In a tight matchup at the Players Era Festival, St. John’s lost 83-82 to No. 15 Iowa State, leaving them at 0-2 against high-stakes opponents.

Ojia Sellers missed two critical shots late in the game, and Zuby Ejiofor’s last-second three-pointer didn’t connect. Dillon Mitchell managed to score as time ran out, but it wasn’t enough.

Sellers led St. John’s with 20 points, while both Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins contributed 16 points each. Milan Momcilovic was impressive for Iowa State, scoring 23 points. Similar to their previous loss against Alabama, St. John’s struggled defensively, allowing Iowa State to score 22 second-chance points. Meanwhile, sophomores Ian Jackson and Joeson Sannon combined for just 4 of 16 shooting, which was disappointing for the team.

St. John’s got off to a slow start, especially on the defensive end. Iowa State quickly made eight of their first 11 shots, establishing a 10-point lead early in the first half.

However, St. John’s found their rhythm and took the lead after an 11-3 run capped by a slam from Mitchell. Their pressure defense seemed to rattle Iowa State as they struggled.

The Red Storm managed to lead by as many as five points and went into halftime with a two-point advantage. Ejiofor stood out with 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Hopkins added 10 points in the first half.

Despite their efforts, the defensive struggles continued. The Cyclones hit 6-of-11 from behind the arc, with Momcilovic draining three of them.

Coming out of halftime, Iowa State picked up right where they left off, exploiting St. John’s defensive weaknesses again. The Red Storm fell behind as the Cyclones swiftly built a seven-point lead. Yet, St. John’s fought back with a strong 13-2 run, including crucial points near Mitchell’s basket. Sellers opened the second half with an important three-pointer from the corner.