St. John’s Victory Over Butler

INDIANAPOLIS — Under pressure, St. John’s delivered a performance that surprised many, as hinted by Rick Pitino three days prior.

The Red Storm demonstrated their resilience, working cohesively to overcome Butler’s momentum. They dominated the second half, clinching an important 84-70 win at Hinkle Fieldhouse, marking their second Quad 1 victory this season.

Bryce Hopkins had a stellar game, scoring 17 points, with 15 coming in the second half. Reuben Prey provided valuable support off the bench, and St. John’s returned to its strong defensive form post-halftime. This was a stark contrast to their recent loss at home against Providence.

Pitino opted for a two-big lineup featuring Play and Zuby Ejiofor, who contributed 18 points and five rebounds. This strategic shift ignited St. John’s performance just before halftime.

Ejiofor’s presence (10 points, 2 steals, 1 block) limited Butler’s standout Michael Ajayi to just 14 points. In a dominant second half, St. John’s forced Butler into 13 turnovers, part of a staggering total of 21 for the game, while holding them to only 28 points.

The game didn’t start off well for St. John’s.

They missed their opening five shots, and Hopkins quickly found himself in foul trouble, cutting short his time on the court. Jackson also faced challenges, playing only six minutes in the first half.

Despite Butler’s control early on, contributions from the bench and Lefteris Liotopoulos, who together netted 16 points, kept St. John’s competitive until halftime.

Play managed to hit a buzzer-beater 3-pointer to wrap up the period.

Ejiofor’s effective play continued, with him adding 14 points, five rebounds, and two steals after the break.

Butler’s top scorers, Finley Bizjak and Ajayi, showed their skills, successfully shooting 7 of 11 from the field.

The Bulldogs had a solid shooting performance, hitting 54 percent from the field and converting 11 of 14 free throw attempts. After St. John’s initially fell behind by seven points, they flipped the script and ended the first half leading 14-7.

Hopkins kicked off the second half with a 3-pointer, scoring nine points in just over five minutes of play, helping St. John’s establish a five-point lead.

Mitchell capitalized on a steal, resulting in a layup that extended the lead to 14 points. Despite Butler trying to regroup with a timeout, with just over seven minutes remaining, St. John’s was firmly on the path to a crucial victory.