It was definitely a rough game.
Sloppy, really.
And it ended up being closer than anyone thought it would be.
But in the end, they won.
Just nine days after a disappointing loss to Auburn, which left St. John’s at 1-2 during their Las Vegas trip, the team faced another SEC rival.
Similar to the game against Auburn, the Red Storm started with a double-digit lead, yet this time they managed to hold on for the victory.
Dylan Darling clinched the game by scoring all seven of his points in the last four minutes, while Zubie Ejiofor put on a stellar defensive display as St. John’s defeated Ole Miss 63-58 despite a rough shooting performance.
St. John’s led by as much as 15 points in the first half and 14 points in the second half, but they struggled to put the Rebels away.
Even though they were late and only up by 4 points, Darling made some crucial contributions.
Ejiofor recorded a career-high of eight blocks, along with 15 points, nine rebounds, and three steals. On the other hand, Ole Miss’s Malik Dier scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but it marked their fourth consecutive loss.
St. John’s, despite being eighth in offensive efficiency, didn’t show much of that prowess during this match.
They shot just 34 percent overall, missed 10 free throws, and went 4-of-22 from beyond the arc.
The defense shone brightly, forcing Ole Miss into 20 turnovers, and keeping the Rebels to only 10 second-chance points—a positive sign moving forward.
The first half was chaotic, with St. John’s at one point leading by 15, only to be down by eight at halftime.
Despite struggling, they managed to convert Ole Miss’s 13 turnovers into 16 points.
While Ejiofor had a tough time offensively, scoring just two points and missing his three attempts, he still contributed defensively with three steals and six blocks.
Ian Jackson and Ojia Sellers added seven points each for the Red Storm, but getting things rolling in the first half proved to be a challenge.
Down by 15 with just under four minutes left, St. John’s rallied, outscoring Ole Miss in the critical moments.
Ole Miss managed to score a couple of times on second-chance opportunities, which has been a recurring issue for St. John’s this season.
The second half began poorly, with Ole Miss narrowing the gap to five points, causing a few tense moments.
St. John’s offense stagnated, struggling to find open shots.
Yet, their defense held strong, and a 3-pointer from Sadiq Ibine Ayo restored a 14-point lead with just over eight minutes remaining.
Though Ole Miss then scored the next 10 points, St. John’s found a way to make critical plays down the stretch to secure the win.
