MILWAUKEE — Oziya Sellers Makes Big Impact Off the Bench

Oziya Sellers made his first appearance off the bench this season, showcasing his skills from long range. The senior guard scored 12 points, including two 3-pointers, helping No. 17 St. John’s secure a 76-70 victory over Marquette and extend their winning streak to 12 games.

Interestingly, Sellers had previously struggled with his shooting, making just 7 of 29 attempts from beyond the arc. He acknowledged the significance of finally hitting those shots—“It felt good to connect. Shooters are always looking to capitalize on mistakes,” he mentioned, adding, “I’m not planning to stop shooting anytime soon.”

Coach Rick Pitino expressed amusement at Sellers’ situation, noting he was encouraging Sellers to take more shots. “I’ll definitely push him. Shooters need to shoot,” Pitino said with a chuckle.

In an effort to boost the team’s confidence, Pitino opted to start Joson Sanon instead of Sellers. Sanon contributed nine points but shot just 3-of-9 from the field. Sellers had also missed practice recently due to ankle discomfort.

Despite the injury, Sellers reported that his ankle was feeling a little better, and his impact was clear as he finished the game with a plus-12 rating in 23 minutes of play.

As for Zuby Ejiofor, he didn’t start strong, missing 7 of his 10 attempts and failing to record a rebound in the first half. However, he rallied, kicking off a significant 9-0 run in the second half, ending with nine points, six rebounds, and three blocks.

“He’s definitely seasoned,” Pitino remarked. “To finish with six rebounds and 10 points, given how the first half went, is impressive.”

This was St. John’s first game since January 3, when they had more turnovers than their opponents in a loss to Providence. In this matchup, St. John’s committed 12 turnovers compared to Marquette’s 10. Remarkably, the Red Storm has now claimed 11 consecutive Big East road victories, setting a new program record.