No. 20 St. John’s rallied past Xavier 79-71 in overtime, showcasing their resilience by overcoming a 16-point deficit in the second half. Zuby Ejiofor emerged as a key player, scoring six of his 16 points during the crucial extra period.
Kadary Richmond led the Red Storm with a season-high 19 points, contributing significantly to their impressive record of 17 wins and 3 losses, including 8 wins and 1 loss in Big East play. Under the guidance of Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino, they have now won six consecutive games and 12 of their last 13.
With their return to the AP Top 25, St. John’s achieved its highest ranking in a decade, positioning itself in first place in the conference standings, just ahead of No. 10 Marquette.
RJ Luis Jr. and Simeon Wilcher each contributed 16 points, with Luis scoring all of his points after halftime. Richmond also made his mark with seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals, thrilling the 14,545 fans at Madison Square Garden.
For the Musketeers, Ryan Conwell led the effort with 21 points, while Dailyn Swain added 16 points before leaving the game with a leg injury late in the second half. Xavier, now at 12 wins and 8 losses, had previously won three games in a row.
St. John’s point guard Deivon Smith missed his second game in three outings due to a right shoulder injury sustained in a victory over Villanova on January 11.
Takeaways
Xavier: After a challenging start to the conference season, the Musketeers are beginning to demonstrate their potential, as predicted by their preseason ranking of third in the league. The upcoming schedule appears to offer a more favorable path.
St. John’s: The team is on a quest for its first Big East regular-season title since 1992, under the leadership of coach Lou Carnesecca. Their current performance marks the best start since the 1985-86 season, boasting an 8-1 record in Big East play for the first time since 1999.
Key moment
Richmond’s driving layup with just over a minute left in regulation tied the game at 65, paving the way for overtime. St. John’s quickly seized control, scoring the first eight points of the extra period, six of which came from Ejiofor.
Key stat
Despite struggling from beyond the arc, going 1-for-12 on three-point attempts, St. John’s improved its home record to a perfect 13-0.
Up next
Xavier: The Musketeers face another tough test on Saturday night at home against No. 19 UConn, the reigning two-time national champions.
St. John’s: The Red Storm will take on their historic rival Georgetown next Tuesday night. In their previous matchup on January 14, St. John’s made a remarkable comeback from a 15-point deficit to win 63-58 at Madison Square Garden.
