St. John’s Falls to No. 22/25 Xavier, 84-79

Wednesday, December 28

Queens, N.Y. (Carnesecca Arena)

9 p.m.

St. John's University

11-3,1-2Big East

No. 22/25 Xavier

11-3,3-0Big East

Xavier

St. John's (NY)

12/29/2022 1:03:00 AM | Men's Basketball

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David Jones leads Red Storm with 19 points and 10 rebounds in first loss at Carnesecca Arena this season

QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John's men's basketball team dropped its first game of the season at Carnesecca Arena on Wednesday, falling 84-79 to No. 22/25 Xavier (11-3, 3-0).

David Jones led four Johnnies in double figures with 19 points to go with 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. Joel Soriano and Montez Mathis each scored 14 points while Posh Alexander added 11.

The Musketeers were led by grad student Jack Nunge, who finished with 23 points and 12 boards. The 7-foot center shot 10-of-14 from the field.

For the first time this season, St. John's was outrebounded by its opponent, as the Musketeers held a 48-36 advantage on the glass.

St. John's (11-3, 1-2) fell behind early with the Musketeers shooting 53.8 percent (21-39) from the field in the first half. After Jones gave the Johnnies their only lead of the game, 12-11, at the 15:38 mark on a dunk in transition, Xavier quickly scored 16-straight points over the next 2:39.

The Johnnies fell behind by 16 in the first half but trimmed the deficit to 48-37 by intermission. Jones had nine points at the break.

Xavier built its lead as large as 18 in the second half before Dylan Addae-Wusu's second 3-pointer of the game triggered a 14-2 run for the Johnnies. St. John's scored on five-straight possessions to trim the deficit to six with 6:42 to play. After Addae-Wusu's triple, Mathis registered the next five points for the Johnnies before Jones and Andre Curbelo each finished in the paint. Alexander's offensive rebound and put back capped the run to make it a 69-63 ballgame.

The Red Storm continued to battle down the stretch and cut Xavier's lead to five, 84-79, on Jones' third triple of the night with 26 seconds on the clock. After forcing a Musketeers' turnover on the ensuing possession, St. John's came up short on the offensive end as time ran out on its comeback bid.

St. John's returns to action on Saturday in a New Year's Eve showdown at Seton Hall (7-7, 0-3). Tip-off is slated for 12 p.m. at Prudential Center. FS1 will carry the national telecast.