NEW YORK, NY – The “World’s Most Famous Arena” played host to a fiery reunion and a dominant performance on Saturday afternoon, as the No. 22 St. John’s Red Storm powered past the Iona Gaels, 91-64, at Madison Square Garden. The contest marked the first meeting between the two New York rivals since Rick Pitino departed Iona to take the reins at St. John’s, adding a layer to this compelling narrative in this non-conference matchup.
Despite a sluggish start that saw the Red Storm miss 12 of their first 13 shots, St. John’s quickly found its footing and turned what began as an 8-point deficit into a victory. St. John’s, now 6-3 on the season, leaned on a well-rounded offensive attack that saw six players reach double figures, and an aggressive defensive effort anchored by one of the nation’s premier shot-blockers.
The Gaels (8-4) came out of the gate with high energy, taking an early 10-2 lead behind a sharp play from graduate guard CJ Anthony. Anthony, who led all scorers with 20 points, was the driving force behind Iona’s early success, keeping the margin close through the first half. However, St. John’s responded with an 18-2 run midway through the half, capped by back-to-back three-pointers from sophomore guard Joson Sanon, giving the Red Storm a 36-26 lead at the break.
The Gaels refused to fold early in the second half. Anthony drilled a deep step-back three-pointer with 14:22 remaining to cut the deficit to just four points, 48-44. That was as close as Iona would get for the rest of this matchup. St. John’s senior guard Oziyah Sellers immediately came up with a long triple of his own, sparking a decisive 10-0 Red Storm run that finally broke Iona’s spirit. The margin swelled, with St. John’s outscoring the Gaels by a staggering 43-20 over those final 14 minutes.
Sellers had a breakout performance, scoring 16 of his team-high 19 points in the second half, shooting an efficient 4-for-7 from beyond the arc. The Red Storm’s dominance, however, began in the paint. Senior forward Zuby Ejiofor delivered a historic defensive performance, tying a career-high for the second consecutive game by rejecting eight Iona shots. Ejiofor also cleaned up on the glass with 10 rebounds and chipped in 6 points.
Joining Sellers in double figures were Ian Jackson with 14 points, Joson Sanon and Bryce Hopkins with 13 points each, and Dillon Mitchell and Lefteris Liotopoulos, both contributing 10 points. For Iona, CJ Anthony’s 20 points were complemented by Toby Harris (14 points) and Lamin Sabally (11 points).
The victory gives Pitino his 20th career win against a former team and serves as a strong momentum builder for St. John’s as they prepare for the start of Big East conference play. Despite the loss, Iona showed flashes of the efficient offense that has defined their season, but ultimately could not overcome the depth, athleticism, and defensive intensity of the nationally-ranked Red Storm.
St. John’s momentum from the Iona victory must immediately pivot to conference focus as they host the DePaul Blue Demons on Tuesday in the Big East opener. While St. John’s is favored, Big East conference play always elevates intensity, demanding a consistent performance from the Red Storm’s deep roster. The game offers Rick Pitino’s squad a vital opportunity to secure a crucial home win, establish their defensive identity in conference play, and carry positive momentum forward before facing the Kentucky Wildcats later on in the week.
