There’s a new beast that conquers the Big East, one that resides in Queens. After a disastrous loss to Providence on Jan. 3, St. John’s has been flawless, notching 13-straight wins, with Creighton being their next victim on Saturday night.
On a day celebrating program alumni, the Johnnies put on a show, downing the Blue Jays 81-52, their largest Big East win since 2022 against Butler.
St. John’s has played in-sync basketball over their extended winning streak, posting their first streak of 13 or more games since winning 19 straight from Dec. 22, 1984, to Feb. 23, 1985. The streak is also the program’s second-longest Big East winning streak, dating back to the same 1984-85 team.
Bryce Hopkins continued to provide strong play for St. John’s, scoring seven points through the first six minutes. The Providence transfer finished his afternoon scoring 15 points, along with 10 rebounds and two steals, going 6-10 from the line.
“He is playing great,” said head coach Rick Pitino. “He’s won three big bell awards; it’s a very competitive award. He’s doing the most right now, which we need. Coming off an injury, it takes time; he’s definitely gelled with his teammates.”
Over the last five games, Hopkins has been unstoppable, averaging 16 points, eight rebounds, and two steals over the last five games — receiving the team MVP from Rick Pitino.
It would be an instant challenge for St. John’s with the absence of Ian Jackson, who suffered an ankle sprain in their last contest against Marquette. However, The Red Storm flashed their colors immediately — jumping out to a quick 8-0 lead thanks to strong transition offense and smart defense, forcing Creighton to call a quick 30-second timeout. The Red Storm would continue to attack the Blue Jays, dominating the glass nine-to-three, which allowed for a comfortable 18-8 lead.
It was a surprising start, especially for a Creighton squad that tallied their best win of the season earlier in the week after knocking off No.5 UConn on the road, 91-84. The Blue Jays, however, picked up some ground thanks to junior guard Fedor Zugic cutting into the Red Storm lead, 28-23 — having a perfect three-for-three start from beyond the arc to start the afternoon.
The Blue Jays wouldn’t be able to chip away any longer, carrying a scoring drought from over the last five minutes of play in the first half, allowing St. John’s to carry an 8-0 run through the stretch — entering half time with a comfortable 42-27 lead.
The Red Storm’s defensive pressure, mixed with offensive dominance, was too much for the Blue Jays, who found themselves down 30 with eight minutes remaining. It was a brutal offensive showing, going 3-17 from the field along with five turnovers, carrying another shooting slump over a three-minute mark.
Creighton finished with 18 turnovers, tying a season-high, which the Red Storm were able to turn into 10 total steals — Dylan Darling leading the way with three.
Pitino was able to use the big lead to his advantage, experimenting with multiple lineups, even with his hand limited by several injuries. Forward Dillon Mitchell was visibly shaken up after a failed dunk, which resulted in a hard landing. Mitchell quickly went to the bench, with Hopkins replacing him for the remainder of the contest.
The Red Storm have just three games remaining — the fate of the Big East regular season crown is currently in their hands with a one-game difference over UConn, who they face on Feb. 25 on the road, another potential Big East classic.
