“Unexpected Triumph Propels Team into Championship Contention”
NEW YORK (AP) — RJ Luis Jr. put up 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to boost No. 9 St. John’s in securing its lead in the Big East with a 79-73 win over No. 24 Creighton on Sunday. The Red Storm (22-4, 13-2) now hold a two-game advantage over the Bluejays (18-8, 11-4). A victory for Creighton would have given them the tiebreaker over St. John’s, who are aiming for their first regular-season title since 1986.
Luis notched his eighth double-double of the season, making 6 of 17 shots and sinking six crucial free throws in the final two minutes. He finished with 10 of 13 from the line, helping St. John’s secure their 10th win in 11 games. Kadary Richmond contributed 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Red Storm, while Zuby Ejiofor added 18 points and nine boards.
Steven Ashworth led Creighton with 23 points, but it wasn’t enough as the Bluejays suffered their second consecutive loss after a nine-game winning streak. Jamiya Neal added 19 points, but Ryan Kalkbrenner was limited to 12 points after appearing to struggle with mobility in his right foot following an earlier injury.
The injury occurred as Kalkbrenner fought for a rebound with Ejiofor and Luis under the rim. Despite being helped to the locker room, Kalkbrenner made a return with just under four minutes left in the game.
Key Stats:
– Creighton shot just 26.7% (8 of 30) from 3-point range, a significant drop from their previous game against UConn where they shot 29.2% (7 of 24) from beyond the arc.
– St. John’s player Deivon Smith, who played 26 minutes, made 4 of 9 shots after missing the previous game due to a neck injury. Smith had struggled, going 8 for 34 in the games prior after injuring his shoulder on January 11.
Key Moment:
After missing 11 consecutive shots, Creighton managed to close the gap to 61-59 with a tip-in by Neal at the 6:37 mark. However, St. John’s responded with a crucial 3-pointer by Aaron Scott and a jumper by Luis to maintain their lead.
Looking Ahead:
Creighton will face Georgetown next Sunday, while St. John’s is set to play DePaul on Wednesday.
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