Last week, St. John’s had a tough matchup against Towson but managed to secure a win.
This past Saturday, despite the loss, there were still positive takeaways from their close 96-94 overtime game against Michigan at Madison Square Garden.
The game showcased St. John’s resilience, with them continually fighting back and showing improved performance in the frontcourt.
Coach Rick Pitino reflected on the game, noting, “I saw a lot of really good things. But I think the challenge is integrating eight new players. We’re still building team chemistry. It was a competitive matchup.”
This exhibition featured two preseason top-10 teams and highlighted two prominent forwards—Zuby Ejiofor from St. John’s and Jaxel Lendeborg from Michigan.
Both players had outstanding performances, racking up a total of 49 points. St. John’s forwards Bryce Hopkins and Dillon Mitchell also contributed well, each scoring 13 points, while point guard Dylan Darling (seven points, two assists) bounced back from an earlier lackluster performance against Towson.
Ultimately, Michigan excelled in rebounding, outpacing St. John’s by 12 boards and shooting an impressive 52.2 percent from the field compared to St. John’s 39.7 percent.
While Pitino commended the frontcourt’s aggressive play, he emphasized the need for improved rebounding and defensive efforts from the guards.
The absence of St. John’s starting guards, Ojiya Sellers and Joeson Sanon (14 points), who fouled out early, didn’t help the team’s dynamics. Michigan’s coach, Dusty May, believed this significantly impacted the game.
The Red Storm found themselves down by eight points in overtime, but Lefteris Liotopoulos ignited the team with eight consecutive points. He had a chance to secure the lead with 8.4 seconds remaining but missed two out of three free throw attempts.
Both Pitino and Ejiofor expressed concerns about the team losing both exhibition games and struggling with coherence due to so many new faces on the roster.
Despite forcing 22 turnovers, the defense allowed 54 points in the paint, challenged by Michigan’s towering 7-foot players, Mores Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara.
“We’re trying to get back to last year’s defensive mindset,” remarked Ejiofor after his strong game, which included 24 points, six rebounds, six assists, and three steals. “It will take time, but we will figure it out.”
“There are no excuses. Winning is the standard we aim for at St. John’s. Everyone came here wanting to win,” he added.
Pitino has consistently highlighted the lessons learned from competing against tough opponents at the Garden. He also mentioned that the challenging non-conference schedule will ultimately benefit St. John’s moving forward.
“I feel prepared for Quinnipiac, but I’m not sure about facing Alabama, Kentucky, or Ole Miss just yet,” the Hall of Fame coach shared. “However, we will find a way. Many others are in the same position with new players, and we have a tight schedule to address our weaknesses.”
“Had we played weaker teams, it would have been easy to win, but we wouldn’t know our flaws. This game served as an incredible teaching opportunity.”
