New York, NY — Under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, No. 7 Michigan and No. 5 St. John’s turned what was billed as an exhibition into a March Madness-style showdown. The two national powers traded punches for 45 minutes in front of a raucous crowd of 13,287, but the Wolverines escaped with a hard-fought 96–94 overtime victory on Saturday night.
Yaxel Lendeborg was the star of the night, pouring in 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting while grabbing 10 rebounds for a double-double. Elliot Cadeau added nine points and nine assists, helping Michigan hold off a furious late rally from the Red Storm.
For St. John’s, Zuby Ejiofor led the charge with 24 points and six rebounds. Dillon Mitchell and Bryce Hopkins each chipped in 13 points and eight boards as the Red Storm showed plenty of fight in front of their home fans.
Back-and-Forth Start
Michigan opened the game red hot, hitting its first five field goals and riding the energy of Lendeborg’s early dominance. St. John’s quickly settled in behind Ejiofor and Arizona State transfer Joson Sanon, keeping pace despite offensive inconsistency on both sides.
North Carolina transfer Elliot Cadeau provided a spark for the Wolverines just before halftime, burying a step-back three at the buzzer to pull Michigan within one. Still, St. John’s carried a narrow 35–34 halftime lead, despite shooting just 36% from the field and 1-for-9 from three-point range. Michigan’s 15 turnovers prevented them from capitalizing on the Red Storm’s cold shooting.
Second-Half Fireworks
After the break, the game turned into a showcase of senior leadership. Dillon Mitchell and Ejiofor fueled the St. John’s offense, combining for 13 straight points as the Garden crowd roared to life. But Michigan always seemed to have an answer.
Lendeborg scored five consecutive points midway through the half, and sophomore L.J. Cason drained a key three to give the Wolverines a 72–67 lead with five minutes remaining.
The Red Storm clawed back as Dylan Darling picked Cason’s pocket and fed Mitchell for a thunderous dunk that electrified the building. Ejiofor followed with three straight points to tie it at 74.
“Darling’s hustle and energy are something the Garden crowd will fall in love with,” one fan shouted from the stands — and it felt true.
Down to the Wire
The closing minutes turned into a foul-filled battle. Michigan center Ady Mara slammed home a dunk to give his team a four-point lead, but Hopkins and Ejiofor quickly responded, knotting it at 84 with 30 seconds to go.
Head coach Rick Pitino called for the Red Storm to hold for the final shot, but a costly turnover proved fatal. Hopkins drove and attempted to kick out to sophomore Ian Jackson, only for Roddy Gayle Jr. to jump the passing lane and force overtime.
Wolverines Pull Away in Overtime
Momentum swung sharply in the extra period. Jackson missed a wide-open layup to start OT, and Michigan capitalized with a six-point burst. A blocked three-pointer by Illinois transfer Morez Johnson Jr. extended the lead to eight as chants of “Let’s go Blue” echoed through the Garden.
Still, St. John’s refused to fold. Lefteris Liotopoulos buried back-to-back triples to fuel an 8–0 run, tying the game at 92 with a minute to play.
Michigan split a pair of free throws to go up two, leaving St. John’s one last chance. Cadeau fouled Liotopoulos on a three-point attempt with 8.4 seconds left, but the Red Storm guard made only one of three, allowing Michigan to escape with the 96–94 win.
Final Stats
Michigan: Lendeborg 25 pts, 10 reb; Cadeau 9 pts, 9 ast
St. John’s: Ejiofor 24 pts, 6 reb; Mitchell 13 pts, 8 reb; Hopkins 13 pts, 8 reb
A Big-Time Feel in October
It may have been labeled an exhibition, but the intensity at Madison Square Garden was pure postseason. Both teams left with plenty to build on — Michigan with confidence after a statement road win, and St. John’s with proof it can go toe-to-toe with elite competition.
