No. 14/16 St. John’s Blows by Bucknell, 97-49

Thursday, November 20

Queens, N.Y. (Carnesecca Arena)

7 p.m.

St. John's University

3-1,0-0Big East

Bucknell

2-4,0-0Patriot

Bucknell

St. John's (NY)

Ian Jackson was on fire for the Red Storm, tying for the team high with 20 points while adding four assists and three rebounds, helping fuel a 48-point victory over Bucknell.

11/20/2025 10:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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The Red Storm men’s basketball team records its largest margin of victory in more than four years

QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John's men's basketball team closed out its season-opening four-game homestand in style on Thursday, dominating Bucknell, 97-49, inside Carnesecca Arena.

The Red Storm (3-1) has now scored 90 points or more in four straight games to start the season for the first time in program history. St. John's is in its 119^th season of basketball dating back to 1907.

The Johnnies' 48-point margin of victory marked the largest of the Rick Pitino Era. The last time the Red Storm enjoyed a more lopsided win came on Nov. 9, 2021, against Mississippi Valley State, 119-61.

Bryce Hopkins and Ian Jackson each finished with a game-high 20 points. Hopkins went 7-of-9 from the floor and connected on three of his four tries from beyond the arc. Thursday marked Hopkins' first time reaching the 20-point mark since Dec. 16, 2023. Jackson sank six of his 13 field goal tries and converted on all six of his free throw attempts. Both Hopkins and Jackson also finished the game with three assists and no turnovers. Hopkins also added three steals.

Ruben Prey scored 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including a 2-for-3 effort from beyond the arc. The sophomore from Portugal more than doubled his previous career high of six points.

Dillon Mitchell stuffed the stat sheet in his first game as a team captain, posting 10 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and three blocks for his 16^th career double-double. Mitchell's four thefts matched a career high.

Joson Sanon was the fifth Johnnie in double figures against Bucknell, logging 10 points and six rebounds. The sophomore from Fall River, Mass., sank two of this three attempts from beyond the arc. St. John's has seen five players reach double figures in three of their four games this season.

St. John's shot 50.8% (33-65) on the game, including a 20-for-31 (64.5%) effort in the second half. The Red Storm assisted on 21 of its 33 made baskets and recorded 15 steals for the first time since Nov. 27, 2021, against NJIT. St. John's forced 24 Bucknell turnovers, turning those extra possessions into 36 points.

The Red Storm found itself in an early hole, missing six of its first seven field goal attempts and falling behind 8-2 just over three minutes into the game.

After starting 2-of-13 from the floor, St. John's made four straight shots to take its first lead of the game, 16-15, near the midway mark of the opening period.

Leading 23-20 with just under six minutes to go in the half, St. John's unleashed a 12-0 run to blow the game open. Lefteris Liotopoulos started the spurt with five straight points before Jackson closed it with four in a row.

Leading by 16, 41-25, at the break, St. John's steadily added to its advantage, moving ahead by 30 at the midway point of the second half and seeing its advantage balloon to as much as 49 before the final buzzer.

The Red Storm's defense was suffocating in the second half, holding the Bison to 4-of-22 (18.2%) shooting in the period. Bucknell went 11:24 without a field goal before finding the bottom of the tin with 2:45 to go.

St. John's will return to action on Monday when it opens play at the Players Era Championship. The Red Storm will kick things off against No. 16/14 Iowa State at 4:30 p.m. ET inside Michelob ULTRA Arena. The game will be broadcast live on truTV.