New York, NY — With eight newcomers still learning to play alongside one another, St. John’s is trying to find its rhythm before the Big East schedule arrives. On Saturday night, the Red Storm showed signs they’re getting closer.
Behind a dominant effort from Zuby Ejiofor, No. 23 St. John’s squeezed past Mississippi, 63–58, at Madison Square Garden. Ejiofor delivered the best defensive game of his career: eight blocks, 15 points and nine rebounds, nearly posting a triple-double through defense alone.
Six of those blocks came in the first half, when the Red Storm built a cushion they would eventually need. “He changed the entire game at the rim,” head coach Rick Pitino said. “His timing and presence were sensational.”
Storm Survive Late Push
St. John’s (5–3) never trailed after halftime and led by as many as 14 with eight minutes to play, but Mississippi chipped away late. The Rebels got within one possession in the closing minutes before the Red Storm used free throws and a final defensive stand to seal it.
Ejiofor scored 13 of his 15 points after intermission, including several key putbacks. St. John’s won despite its offense being far from comfortable, finishing just 34% from the field and committing 20 turnovers.
What kept them afloat:
A 13–0 edge in fast-break points
25-of-35 from the free-throw line
Relentless rim protection
Ole Miss shot only 36.4% overall and went 2-for-16 from deep. The visitors turned the ball over 20 times.
Rebel Standouts, Storr Struggles in Return
Ole Miss (5–4) dropped its fourth straight, each loss coming against major-conference competition. The lone bright spot was Malik Dia, who came off the bench for 18 points and 10 rebounds in just 27 minutes. Dia had started every game of his Ole Miss career until Saturday.
Ilias Kamardine added 16 points, and Kezza Giffa chipped in 10 points with seven steals, keeping the Rebels within striking distance.
Former St. John’s guard AJ Storr heard boos nearly every time he touched the ball. The Red Storm’s 2023 Freshman Team honoree never found a rhythm, missing all six of his shots and finishing with just two points. Storr is now playing for his fourth Power Five school in four seasons and entered the night averaging 13.8 per game.
Notes & History
The teams had faced only once before, in the 1989 NIT first round, a game won by St. John’s.
Saturday marked Mississippi’s first visit to Madison Square Garden since the 2010 NIT semifinals, a 68–63 loss to Dayton.
What’s Next:
Mississippi heads to Biloxi to play Southern Miss next Saturday.
St. John’s returns to MSG for a matchup with Iona, where Pitino coached for three seasons before moving to the Red Storm.
St. John’s knows it doesn’t have much time before conference play begins — but on Saturday, the new pieces finally looked like they belonged together.
