St. John’s Blows Past Butler, 86-70, on Tuesday

Tuesday, January 2

Queens, N.Y. (Carnesecca Arena)

8:30 p.m.

St. John's University

10-4,2-1Big East

Butler

10-4,1-2Big East

Butler

St. John's (NY)

1/3/2024 12:28:00 AM | Men's Basketball

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The Red Storm men’s basketball team improved to 5-0 at Carnesecca Arena with its fifth 15+ point victory in Queens

QUEENS, N.Y. – Daniss Jenkins recorded team-highs with 17 points and seven assists to lift the St. John's men's basketball team (10-4, 2-1) to an 86-70 victory over Butler (10-4, 1-2) on Tuesday at Carnessecca Arena. Brady Dunlap scored a season-high 13 points in 27 minutes off the bench to help the Red Storm improve to a perfect 5-0 in Queens this season with all five victories coming by 15 points or more.

In total, six Johnnies finished with double figures in the scoring column on Tuesday, marking the first time it has happened since defeating No. 6 UConn, 85-74, last season in Hartford. Joel Soriano (14 points, 12 rebounds) recorded his ninth double-double of the season while frontcourt mate Chris Ledlum (13 points, 11 rebounds) notched his fourth. RJ Luis Jr. registered 14 points in his second-straight start and Nahiem Alleyne put up 10 points off the bench to round out the Red Storm's double figure scorers.

As a team, the Red Storm shot 50.0 percent (34-68 FG) from the field. Dunlap went 5-for-7 from the floor and hit three of the team's six 3-pointers.

St. John's also delivered a solid defensive performance and held Butler to 70 points, which matched the Bulldogs' second lowest scoring effort of the season. The Bulldogs entered the contest ranked among the national leaders averaging 83.2 points per game.

For the second time in as many BIG EAST games at Carnesecca Arena this season, the Johnnies did not trail its opponent and led by double digits for the majority of the second half. St. John's built its lead to as many as 17 points en route to its fourth win in the last five games.

St. John's got off to a quick start by hitting six of its first nine shot attempts take a 12-7 lead by the first media timeout. The Red Storm led by as many as eight points in the opening frame after going on an 11-3 run to push the advantage to 30-22 on Luis' put back layup at 8:03.

The Johnnies would eventually carry a 45-38 lead into halftime after outscoring Butler 7-2 in the final 2:10 of the first half. Dunlap began the spurt with his second 3-pointer before Jenkins sank a turnaround jumper and Soriano threw down a thunderous two-handed jam to close the period.

Dunlap and Jenkins led the team with 10 points apiece and shot a combined 8-for-11 from the field by the break.

Butler's Pierre Brooks II and DJ Davis hit consecutive 3-pointers in the first 50 seconds of the second half to pull the Bulldogs to within three, 47-44. However, the Johnnies retaliated with a 7-0 run in just 23 seconds to build its first double-digit advantage of the contest. Following three straight makes from Dingle at the line, Luis converted a steal in the backcourt into a layup and Jenkins capped off the surge with a layup through a pair of defenders to give St. John's a 54-44 lead at the 17:04 mark.

The Bulldogs got back within six with 12:50 on the clock, but Luis answered with six straight points before Alleyne drained a triple in front of the St. John's bench just over four minutes later to go up 13. The Red Storm took its largest lead of the game, 74-57, with a pair of free-throws by Jenkins at 6:19. The Johnnies closed the contest out by hitting five of its final seven shots to seal the victory.

Butler was led by Davis who finished with 25 points and hit five 3-pointers. Posh Alexander and Brooks each had 11 points for the Bulldogs.

St. John's will play three of its next four games on the road beginning with a trip to Villanova on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. inside Finneran Pavilion. FOX will carry the national telecast.