St. John's University Athletics
Saturday, December 20
Atlanta, Ga. (State Farm Arena)
12:30 p.m.
St. John's University
7-4,1-0Big East
66
vs
78
Kentucky
8-4,0-0SEC
1
2
F
St. John's (NY)
32
34
66
Kentucky
25
53
78
No. 22/20 St. John’s Falls to Kentucky, 78-66, at the CBS Sports Classic
12/20/2025 3:54:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Red Storm will wrap non-conference play with Harvard on Tuesday
ATLANTA – The No. 22/20 St. John's men's basketball team fell to Kentucky, 78-66, in the CBS Sports Classic on Saturday at State Farm Arena.
Leading by seven at the intermission, St. John's made just four field goals in the first 17 minutes of the second half. The Wildcats shot 54.5% in the latter stanza while converting 10 offensive rebounds in 12 second-chance points.
Bryce Hopkins finished with a team-high 13 points and three steals.
Zuby Ejiofor was one of two Johnnies to record 12 points on the afternoon. He also collected five boards and blocked a pair of shots. Joson Sanon scored all his 12 points at the free throw line, going a perfect 12-for-12 at the stripe.
Ian Jackson scored seven of his 10 points in the first half, finishing in double figures for the third straight game.
Down 12-10 following a 2-for-15 start from the floor, St. John's scored nine unanswered as part of a larger 16-4 run to open a 26-16 lead with just under five minutes to play in the opening half.
The Johnnies held Kentucky to just two field goals over seven minutes of action during that stretch and forced the Wildcats into six turnovers.
Kentucky whittled the Red Storm lead down to five in the closing minutes before a Jackson layup sent the Johnnies into the locker room with a seven-point edge, 32-25.
Ahead 41-33 following an Ejiofor three-point play with 16:07 to go, St. John's saw Kentucky rip off a 19-2 run to move ahead by nine, 52-43, with 10:48 remaining.
St. John's went 8:57 without a field goal from Ejiofor's three-point play until an Oziyah Sellers layup with 7:10 to go. Sellers finished the game with nine points.
The Red Storm will return to action on Tuesday when it welcomes Harvard to Carnesecca Arena for a 6 p.m. tip on FS1.
Leading by seven at the intermission, St. John's made just four field goals in the first 17 minutes of the second half. The Wildcats shot 54.5% in the latter stanza while converting 10 offensive rebounds in 12 second-chance points.
Bryce Hopkins finished with a team-high 13 points and three steals.
Zuby Ejiofor was one of two Johnnies to record 12 points on the afternoon. He also collected five boards and blocked a pair of shots. Joson Sanon scored all his 12 points at the free throw line, going a perfect 12-for-12 at the stripe.
Ian Jackson scored seven of his 10 points in the first half, finishing in double figures for the third straight game.
Down 12-10 following a 2-for-15 start from the floor, St. John's scored nine unanswered as part of a larger 16-4 run to open a 26-16 lead with just under five minutes to play in the opening half.
The Johnnies held Kentucky to just two field goals over seven minutes of action during that stretch and forced the Wildcats into six turnovers.
Kentucky whittled the Red Storm lead down to five in the closing minutes before a Jackson layup sent the Johnnies into the locker room with a seven-point edge, 32-25.
Ahead 41-33 following an Ejiofor three-point play with 16:07 to go, St. John's saw Kentucky rip off a 19-2 run to move ahead by nine, 52-43, with 10:48 remaining.
St. John's went 8:57 without a field goal from Ejiofor's three-point play until an Oziyah Sellers layup with 7:10 to go. Sellers finished the game with nine points.
The Red Storm will return to action on Tuesday when it welcomes Harvard to Carnesecca Arena for a 6 p.m. tip on FS1.
Team Stats
SJU
UK
FG%
.333
.459
3FG%
.263
.250
FT%
.844
.818
RB
28
39
TO
12
16
STL
10
6
Game Leaders
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
12
FGM
0
3FGM
0
FTM
12
Pts
12
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
Forward
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/ Men's BasketballPostgame Press Conference St. John's vs Kentucky 12.20.2025
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