No. 15 St. John’s built a commanding lead to defeat Georgetown 66-41, marking their best start since 1985. Kadary Richmond and Zuby Ejiofor each contributed 13 points in a game that showcased the Red Storm’s dominance.
The victory featured contributions from eight different players, underscoring a collective effort that propelled St. John’s to their longest winning streak in Big East competition since 2000. With a record of 18-3 and 9-1 in conference play, they are enjoying their most successful season since the legendary 1985-86 campaign under Hall of Fame coach Lou Carnesecca.
The game was effectively decided early on, as Rick Pitino’s squad surged ahead with scores of 23-3 and 37-9, establishing a 30-point lead late in the first half. Malik Mack led Georgetown with 13 points, but the Hoyas struggled to keep pace, narrowing the gap to 15 with 6:33 left, only to fall short.
St. John’s continues to celebrate its success, achieving its highest ranking in the AP Top 25 poll since December 2014. The Red Storm advanced five spots following their thrilling overtime win against Xavier last week.
Takeaways
St. John’s has demonstrated resilience, capable of overcoming a 16-point deficit in the second half against Xavier or maintaining a strong lead. Under Pitino’s guidance, the team is on a promising path toward their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019.
For Georgetown, scoring remains a significant hurdle. Coach Ed Cooley’s team has not reached 70 points in eight consecutive games, marking their longest stretch of low scoring since the 2005-06 season. The 41 points scored in this match represent their lowest total of the year.
Key moment
After Georgetown narrowed the gap to 15, Aaron Scott broke a scoring drought for St. John’s with a timely 3-pointer at the 5:04 mark, reigniting their offensive momentum.
Key stat
St. John’s has dominated the recent matchup history, winning the last nine encounters against Georgetown since the Hoyas’ 97-94 overtime victory on December 13, 2020.
Up next
St. John’s will host Providence at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, looking to extend their winning streak.
Georgetown will face Butler at home on Friday night, aiming to improve their scoring output.
