It wasn’t pretty or memorable, and there were some nervous moments. But St. John’s shook off a slow start to extend its winning streak to eight games entering Friday’s highly anticipated showdown against No. 3 Connecticut at the Garden.
The No. 22 Johnnies ratcheted up the intensity on the defensive end after halftime — similar to last year, that is becoming a habit — and won their 10th league game in 11 tries, 68-56 over improved DePaul at Wintrust Arena on Tuesday night.
“We’re a hard-working team, we have a great will to win, and tonight was an excellent win for us,” coach Rick Pitino said. “It wasn’t a game of beauty, but two defensive teams that got after it.”
Up next is the game of the year in the Big East, the two best teams meeting for the first time this season. UConn has won 18 straight games and is coming off consecutive blowouts over Creighton and Xavier.
The Huskies lead St. John’s by a game atop the conference standings.
“I think we’re ready,” Bryce Hopkins said. “Obviously we have to prepare. Pretty sure we’re going to be in [on Wednesday] going over their personnel and stuff like that. I feel like we match up well.”
Pitino was thrilled with this win, because it was the latest example of his team prevailing when it wasn’t at its best. St. John’s (17-5, 10-1) shot 35 percent from the field and only 6-for-20 on 3-point attempts.
But they forced 15 turnovers, which led to 20 points, and held DePaul star CJ Gunn to nine points on 4-for-13 shooting.
The game turned early in the second half, as St. John’s ripped off a 16-2 run to go up 13.
Ejiofor started the run with four straight points, Oziyah Sellers followed with five points of his own and Ejiofor set up Ian Jackson for a 3-pointer. The key was the defense.
Over a stretch of 8:15, DePaul (12-11, 4-8) managed just two points.
“They have a great will to win, like last year’s team,” Pitino said of the Johnnies. “They are undefeated on the road in the Big East. It’s very difficult to win on the road. Whatever the style they have to play, they’re getting it done and winning.”
CHECK OUT THE LATEST BIG EAST STANDINGS AND ST. JOHN’S STATS
The Blue Demons did get within six late, but Hopkins answered with a driving left-handed layup and Sellers scored inside to ice the Red Storm’s ninth straight Big East road victory dating back to last season.
Ejiofor scored a team-high 16 points, including the 1,000th point of his St. John’s career, along with nine rebounds and four assists.
Hopkins, a Chicago native, had 15 points and six rebounds and Sellers scored 10 of his 13 points after halftime.
St. John’s missed 12 of its first 14 shots and 20 out of 27. The Johnnies were fortunate to be ahead by one at the half. They started the second half far better than the first.
Sellers hit a transition 3-pointer on the first offensive possession for the Red Storm and Dillon Mitchell scored on a backdoor cut.
The lead ballooned to eight on the strength of a 9-0 run at the under-12:00 media timeout, and it grew to 11 after a Jackson 3-pointer. It was enough breathing room.
A month ago, there were major questions for St. John’s following a dismal home loss to Providence. Pitino said then the Johnnies’ backs were against the wall.
They have responded with a long winning streak.
“It’s just the hatred for losing, honestly, and I think obviously it starts with Coach Pitino,” Ejiofor said. “But when you have a winning culture, everybody wants to be a part of that and I think that’s exactly why these guys came to this program. We’re trending in the right direction.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
