NEW YORK — After a 4-3 start this season, St. John’s is enjoying its most dominant roll in decades.
Bryce Hopkins had 15 points and 10 rebounds as the 17th-ranked Red Storm beat Creighton 81-52 on Saturday for their 13th win — marking the program’s longest winning streak in 41 years.
Dylan Darling scored 17 points off the bench and Jubi Ejiofor added 15 for the first-place Johnnies (22-5, 15-1 BIG EAST), who led wire-to-wire and held Creighton to 32% shooting in their 18th win in 20 games.
“It was our best defense all season,” coach Rick Pitino said. “The guys were completely locked in because of their respect for Creighton and their ability to score.”
It was St. John’s’ biggest upset in a Big East game since a 91-57 victory over Butler at Carnesca Arena on campus in February 2022 – and the school’s largest margin of victory over a conference opponent since a 90-57 loss on Feb. 19, 1929, at Madison Square Garden.
St. John’s hasn’t won 13 since a 19-game run in 1984-85 en route to a No. 13 national ranking, the top seed in the NCAA Tournament and a Final Four berth under Hall of Fame coach Lou Carnesecca.
“Our staff is doing a tremendous job of getting guys (ready),” Pitino said. “It’s one thing to be a great scout and break it down, but it’s getting the players to listen to every little detail and them listening to every little detail. I’m proud of them for that.”
Ejiofor and Hopkins have been leading the way for the Johnnies all season, but the emergence of Darling and Dillon Mitchell has been a huge factor in the turnaround.
With starting guard Ian Jackson sprained his right ankle, Darling played 28½ minutes and provided four rebounds, three assists and three steals in a bounce-back performance. The gritty point guard went scoreless in 13 minutes and fouled out in a 76-70 win at Marquette on Wednesday.
“I told him at the handshake line: I think the Darlings have changed their team in a lot of ways over the last six weeks,” Creighton coach Greg McDermott said. “He has a confidence about him and a tenacity and toughness defensively. And obviously they have that across the roster, but preparing for this game and watching film, in a lot of close games he’s making huge plays on both ends of the floor.”
Mitchell, who didn’t even attempt a field goal against Marquette but had a massive assist throughout, had 10 rebounds, seven assists and zero turnovers before a red-clad crowd of 19,328 on Johnny’s Day at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.
“He’s a suma come loud basketball player,” Pitino said. “If you need to get a rebound in the game, he’s the guy who’s going to get it. … He’s just a great basketball player.”
The 6-foot-8 senior forward also finished with six points and a steal.
“We have a lot of offensive threats and it’s my job to try to get them good shots,” Mitchell said.
St. John’s enters as the third-longest winning streak in Division I and best among high-major programs. The team hasn’t lost since a 77-71 loss against Providence on Jan. 3 at MSG.
Creighton committed 18 turnovers and was outscored 44-30. Unable to pull off a major upset Wednesday at No. 5 UConn, the Bluejays (14-14, 8-9) were limited to a season-low 0.7 points per possession in their most lopsided loss this season.
St. John’s scored the first eight points, led by 12 just 4:18 into the game and took a 42-27 advantage into halftime. Creighton went 8:45 without a field goal in the second half as the Red Storm used a 25-4 spurt to open a 69-38 lead with 8:31 left.
“St. John’s, they’re great. Their defensive versatility makes it very challenging for us to have a certain roster,” McDermott said.
Seeking their second straight Big East championship, the Red Storm maintained a half-game lead over No. 5 UConn in the conference standings, winning 73-63 at third-ranked Villanova.
St. John’s visits Connecticut on Wednesday night for their second showdown this season. A win would give the Johnnies a 14-game winning streak in Big East play, matching their 14-0 start in 1984-85 for a program record.
Pitino said Jackson could have played Saturday, but was held out for not practicing. He is expected to be available against UConn.
