St. Johns looks the part of national championship…
Before the start of the most anticipated St. John’s season this century, the faculty seemed back to last 12 months.
A video montage of the memorable run by the Johnnies to the Big East common season and postseason titles was shown. The 4 returning gamers — Zuby Ejiofor, Ruben Prey, Lefteris Liotopoulos and Sadiku Ibine Ayo — obtained their diamond-encrusted rings.
Rick Pitino obtained on the microphone.
“We’re after the biggest prize of all,” he told the sold-out Carnesecca Arena crowd, referring to a national championship.
On Opening Night, the fifth-ranked Red Storm seemed the part of a contender. The loaded frontcourt of Ejiofor, Bryce Hopkins and Dillon Mitchell was dominant.
The Johnnies made photographs from deep. They flashed their depth in a wire-to-wire 108-74 victory over MAAC favourite Quinnipiac.
On Friday, Pitino joked that he wished to ask Bobcats coach Tom Pecora to push the recreation back a week because he didn’t really feel like his new-look group was prepared.
That didn’t appear to be the case.
Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino during the first half when the St. John’s Red Storm performed the Quinnipiac Bobcats Monday, November 3, 2025 at St. John’s University in Queens. Robert Sabo for NY Post
St. John’s got here out with a goal, scoring 19 of the recreation’s first 24 factors. Mitchell, an athletic specimen of a ahead, scored eight early factors, 4 coming on two ferocious dunks.
St. John’s piled up 54 factors in the opening 20 minutes on blistering 57 % taking pictures from the discipline and didn’t let up after halftime. At one level, the lead was 47 on the strength of a 23-4 burst.
Several Johnnies shined. Mitchell had group highs of 18 factors, seven rebounds and 4 steals. Ejiofor, the preseason Big East Player of the Year, had 17 factors and six rebounds and restricted reigning MAAC Player of the Year Amarri Monroe to 10 factors on 4-of-13 taking pictures. Ian Jackson and Joson Sanon, the two high-upside sophomore shotmakers, mixed for 29 factors and 4 3-pointers.
Red Storm guard Ian Jackson (11) makes a 3-point basket during the first half when the St. John’s Red Storm performed the Quinnipiac Bobcats Monday, November 3, 2025 at St. John’s University in Queens, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post
St. John’s was mayhem in the open court, piling up 44 factors in transition. They had eight dunks and 25 assists — seven Johnnies had at least two apiece, led by Dylan Darling’s six — on 39 made discipline objectives. Pitino emptied his bench with over six minutes remaining.
That’s not to say it was a good evening. There have been turnover points, 13 of them in all. St. John’s missed 12 free throws.
There have been stretches when they didn’t defend the perimeter. Quinnipiac was overwhelmed by the Red Storm’s athletes and tempo. Saturday, against Fifteenth-ranked Alabama at the Garden, figures to inform a different story.
As far as debuts go, however, there was little to complain about.
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