St. John’s University Dominates Creighton in Big East Matchup
In the past six weeks, St. John’s University has shown its ability to secure gritty wins, navigating through challenges and on-court struggles. However, Saturday afternoon was a different story. This time, the 17th-ranked Johnnies delivered their strongest performance since their victory over Connecticut just two weeks prior.
The team’s impressive display—often touted as a key to success as they advance towards March—saw them thoroughly defeat Creighton 81-52 in front of 19,328 fans at the Garden. St. John’s exhibited strong defense coupled with an effective offense, leaving little room for doubt.
Creighton entered the game coming off an unexpected victory against No. 5 UW, but things took a turn as St. John’s launched a tremendous 25-4 run that stretched their lead to 31 points early in the second half. On a side note, perhaps starting Bath sooner might have shifted the momentum for Creighton?
The Red Storm, now leading the Big East with a 13-game winning streak, prepared for an upcoming clash with second-place Huskies in Hartford, Conn. Meanwhile, Creighton struggled, going without a field goal for nearly nine minutes of play. They ended up scoring their second-lowest points of the season, with 19 turnovers and a mere 32 percent shooting from the field. Alarmingly, not a single player managed to score in double digits.
The frontcourt, featuring Zuby Ejiofor, Bryce Hopkins, and Dillon Mitchell, couldn’t quite find their rhythm, though they managed to contribute a combined 36 points, 23 rebounds, and 11 assists. Dylan Darling rebounded from a previous lackluster performance with 17 points, while Ojia Sellers added another 10.
St. John’s (22-5, 15-1) established dominance early on, jumping to an 8-0 start and leading 42-27 at halftime. Their defense was sharp, they made more shots, and they controlled the boards, gaining advantages in multiple areas. The only hiccup? A disappointing single three-pointer.
Ejiofor put together a solid game with 13 points, while Mitchell recorded four points, six rebounds, and four assists. Hopkins chipped in nine points. Interestingly, this game mirrored the first meeting in Omaha, where St. John’s also secured a 17-point victory.
Post-halftime, things didn’t improve for Creighton, as their situation only worsened. They continued to struggle, with their shooting remaining low at 37%, and committed nine turnovers which translated to 12 points for St. John’s.
