St. John’s Dominates Mississippi Valley State, 119-61, in Season Opener

Tuesday, November 9

Queens, N.Y. (Carnesecca Arena)

7:45 P.M.

St. John's University

1-0,0-0Big East

119

Mississippi Valley State

0-1,0-0SWAC

Mississippi Val.

St. John's (NY)

119

St. John’s Dominates Mississippi Valley State, 119-61, in Season Opener

11/10/2021 12:28:00 AM | Men's Basketball

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Red Storm recorded highest single-game point total since 1990

QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John's men's basketball team recorded its highest single-game point total in more than three decades on Tuesday night, defeating Mississippi Valley State, 119-61, inside Carnesecca Arena.

The Red Storm's 60-point margin of victory was the largest for the program in just under 70 years, when St. John's won the season opener of the 1951-52 campaign against Arnold College, 93-33. The Johnnies' 119 points were the most since St. John's scored a school-record 135 points against Central Connecticut State on Nov. 24, 1990, in The Lapchick Tournament. Aside from that game against the Blue Devils in which Malik Sealy poured in a then-Alumni Hall record 43 points, St. John's has only tallied more than 119 points once in its history, posting 126 in the 1986-87 season opener against Southern.

Six St. John's players finished in double figures, as the Red Storm shot a blistering 69.2 percent (45-of-65) from the floor, including a 13-for-25 (52.0%) showing from three-point range. In addition to shooting 80.0 percent (16-of-20) from the free throw line, St. John's also dished out 30 helpers on 45 made buckets, good enough for the program's highest single-game assist total in at least 15 years. The Johnnies finished just five assists shy of the school's single-game record set on Jan. 7, 1973, in a 106-66 win over Dartmouth.

St. John's dominated on the boards, winning that battle by a 48-28 margin, including a 38-14 edge on the defensive glass.

Unanimous Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team selection Julian Champagnie reached the 20-point plateau for the 14^th time as a member of the Red Storm, finishing with 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting.

Fellow Preseason All-BIG EAST honoree Posh Alexander showcased a new facet of his game, knocking down a career-high four triples on his way to an 18-point performance. The reigning BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year shot 6-of-7 from the floor, including a 4-for-5 effort from three, in addition to tallying seven assists and three steals.

Fordham transfer Joel Soriano posted a double-double in his first opportunity with the Red Storm, posting 11 points, 13 boards and a pair of blocks. Soriano, who was a career, 61.5 percent free throw shooter in the Bronx, went 7-for-8 from the stripe against the Delta Devils. Soriano, a native of Yonkers, has recorded double-doubles in 14 of his last 21 appearances dating back to the end of his freshman year.

Freshman forward O'Mar Stanley impressed in his collegiate debut, scoring 14 points on a perfect 7-for-7 shooting effort and collecting six rebounds in only 20 minutes of action.

Graduate transfer Tareq Coburn, a career 40.3 percent 3-point shooter in three seasons at Hofstra, scored 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including a 3-for-5 effort from beyond the arc.

Another St. John's newcomer, Montez Mathis, scored 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting in his Red Storm debut.

Two more transfers, Stef Smith and Aaron Wheeler, tallied six points apiece in their first game as Johnnies. Wheeler added six rebounds and four assists while Smith chipped in four rebounds and three assists.

Freshman Rafael Pinzon posted seven points and five assists while Esahia Nyiwe made both of his field goal attempts for four points and dished out two assists.

In just 12 minutes of action, sophomore guard Dylan Addae-Wusu tallied eight points, four rebounds, three steals and a pair of assists.

The Johnnies wasted no time on Tuesday night, starting the game on a 16-3 run and extending the lead to 20 for the first time by the nine-minute mark of the half. Ahead by 28, 45-17, with five minutes to play in the opening stanza, St. John's closed the half with a 14-1 tear and took a 41-point lead into the locker room.

Three straight 3-pointers from Champagnie and Alexander stretched the St. John's lead to 51 just over four minutes into the second stanza. St. John's led by no less than 46 the rest of the way and widened its advantage to as many as 62 down the stretch.

St. John's will return to action on Saturday afternoon when it plays host to Saint Peter's at 4 p.m. inside Carnesecca Arena on FS1. The Peacocks dropped their season opener on the road at VCU by just three points, 57-54.