The St. John's Red Storm stormed out of the gates, scoring 44 points in the first half, with Bryce Hopkins leading the charge, scoring 14 of his 23 points in the opening 20 minutes. Marquette, on the other hand, struggled to find their rhythm, scoring just 35 points in the first half, with Nigel James Jr. accounting for 15 of those points. The Golden Eagles' 35 points in the first half marked their lowest output in the opening half since their 64-69 loss to Seton Hall, where they scored just 32 points in the first half. Despite the slow start, Marquette managed to outscore St. John's 35-32 in the second half, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit. St. John's has now won 6 consecutive games, averaging 81.4 points per game over that stretch, while allowing just 69.8 points per contest.
As the game wore on, it became clear that St. John's was the better team, with a more balanced attack and a stifling defense that held Marquette to just 38.5% shooting from the field. The Golden Eagles, who had been averaging 76.4 points per game over their last 5 contests, were unable to find their usual scoring touch, with only Nigel James Jr. and Royce Parham reaching double figures, scoring 25 and 13 points, respectively. St. John's, on the other hand, had three players score in double figures, with Hopkins leading the way, followed by Oziyah Sellers and Zuby Ejiofor, who scored 12 and 10 points, respectively. The Red Storm's 76 points marked their 10th consecutive game scoring 70 or more points, a streak that dates back to their 68-56 win over DePaul.
St. John's Red Storm Have Won 10 Consecutive Games When Scoring 70 or More Points
Beyond the numbers, it was clear that Hopkins was the difference-maker for St. John's, hitting several big shots, including a crucial three-pointer with just over 2 minutes remaining to put the Red Storm up by 7 points. James Jr. was equally impressive for Marquette, scoring 10 of his 25 points in the second half, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit. Sellers, who had been averaging 15.6 points per game over his last 5 contests, was relatively quiet, scoring just 12 points, but his presence on the court was still felt, as he drew several key defensive assignments and helped to limit Marquette's scoring opportunities. Ejiofor, who had been struggling with his shot, coming into the game having made just 2 of his last 10 three-point attempts, was a pleasant surprise, scoring 10 points and grabbing 6 rebounds, including several key boards in the second half.
The CHD Scout had predicted a 9.9-point victory for St. John's, and while the actual margin was slightly lower, the prediction was still correct. The model had taken into account St. John's recent form, which had seen them win 5 consecutive games, averaging 81.4 points per game over that stretch, while allowing just 69.8 points per contest. Marquette, on the other hand, had been struggling, losing 3 of their last 5 games, including a 88-96 loss to Xavier, where they allowed 96 points, the most they had given up in a game all season. The model had also factored in the teams' respective strengths and weaknesses, including St. John's balanced attack and stifling defense, as well as Marquette's reliance on James Jr. and Parham to score.
CHD Scout Report Card
CORRECTPredicted
Final
The prediction was correct, in large part, due to St. John's ability to shut down Marquette's offense, holding them to just 38.5% shooting from the field, including a dismal 25% from three-point range. The Golden Eagles had been averaging 34.5% from three-point range over their last 5 games, but were unable to find their touch against the Red Storm's stingy defense. St. John's, on the other hand, was able to take advantage of Marquette's defensive weaknesses, scoring 44 points in the paint, including several key baskets in the second half. The Red Storm's ability to adapt to Marquette's defense, which had been allowing just 71.8 points per game over their last 5 contests, was also a key factor in the win.
The win marks a significant milestone for St. John's, who improves to 21-5 on the season, with a 6-point victory over a struggling Marquette team. The Red Storm's 21 wins are the most they have had in a season since the 2014-2015 campaign, when they finished 21-12. Marquette, on the other hand, falls to 9-18, and must win out if they hope to finish the season with a winning record. The Golden Eagles have now lost 3 of their last 5 games, and want to regroup before their next contest. St. John's, who has now won 6 consecutive games, want to continue their winning streak, as they head into the final stretch of the season.
The win is a significant boost to St. John's NCAA Tournament resume, which now includes 6 consecutive wins, and a 21-5 overall record. The Red Storm's NET ranking, which had been 24 coming into the game, will likely improve, potentially into the top 20. Marquette, on the other hand, will see their NET ranking, which had been 111 coming into the game, likely drop, potentially into the 120s. The loss is a significant blow to the Golden Eagles' already slim NCAA Tournament hopes, and they must win out if they hope to have any chance of making the tournament. St. John's, who has now played themselves into a likely 5-seed, want to continue their winning streak, and potentially improve their seeding, as they head into the final stretch of the season.