Wagner Nails Game-Winner as St. John’s Downs Xavier in Thriller, 66-64

Saturday, January 17

Cincinnati, Ohio (Cintas Center)

1 p.m.

St. John's University

15-5,5-4Big East

Xavier

10-8,3-6Big East

St. John's (NY)

Xavier

Wagner Nails Game-Winner as St. John’s Downs Xavier in Thriller, 66-64

1/17/2026 4:39:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Quotes Photo Gallery

Shaulana Wagner drains fadeaway jumper with 1.3 seconds to go

CINCINNATI – Shaulana Wagner drained a game-winning fadeaway jumper with 1.3 seconds to go to lift St. John's past Xavier, 66-64, on Saturday afternoon at the Cintas Center.

The two squads went back-and-forth in Cincinnati as the contest featured 14 lead changes and nine ties. The Red Storm trailed by four with 1:49 to play as Jailah Donald hit a pivotal 3-pointer that later setup Wagner's game-winner. The Johnnies advanced their winning streak over the Musketeers to 21 games.

The Johnnies were nearly flawless at the free-throw line, converting 95.0%(19-of-20), their best performance from the charity stripe this season. Graduate guard Wagner sealed the victory with the game-winning basket, extending St. John's streak to 21 consecutive wins over the Musketeers.

Sophomore Sa'Mya Wyatt poured in a career-high 28 points to pave St. John's way to victory. The forward added six rebounds, one assist, one block, and one steal while shooting an efficient 66.7% (10-of-15) from the field and going perfect from both three-point range (2-of-2) and the free-throw line (6-of-6). Daniela Abies and Wagner also reached double-figures with 10 points apiece, with Wagner dishing out a team-high eight assists and Abies pulling down a team-best nine rebounds. Xavier was led by two 20-point scorers, as Mariyah Noel posted 30 points and MacKenzie Givens added 21. Noel also paced the Musketeers with nine rebounds, five assists, and three steals.

Wyatt opened the scoring with a three-pointer and two free throws, accounting for five points in the first three minutes as the Johnnies took a 5–2 lead. Xavier responded with five unanswered points to move in front, 7–5, before Wyatt and Janeya Grant combined to push St. John's back ahead, 10–7, with six minutes remaining in the opening period. The Musketeers then seized momentum, capitalizing on three straight fast-break opportunities to reclaim the lead at 13–10. Xavier extended its advantage to as many as five points with 1:30 left in the quarter, but baskets from Wagner and Wyatt closed the gap to 19–17 by the end of the period.

Abies began the second quarter by tying the game at 19, but Xavier quickly regained control, using a 6–0 run over the next two minutes to take a 25–19 advantage. Buckets from Donald and Wyatt pulled the Johnnies within two, 25–23, with 5:46 on the clock. St. John's then caught fire from beyond the arc, draining three three-pointers in a two-minute span, two by Ariel Little and another from Wyatt, to move ahead, 32–30. Kylie Lavelle, Abies, and Wagner closed out the half, helping the Red Storm maintain the lead at the break, 44–38.

Wyatt concluded the half, shooting 80% (6-8) from the floor and was 2-for-2 from the line and beyond the arc. The sophomore scored 16 points, 11 in the first quarter, and grabbed three off the glass.

Xavier regained the lead four minutes into the third quarter, edging ahead 39–38. The teams traded momentum over the next three minutes, combining for seven lead changes before the Musketeers carved out a four-point advantage at 48–45. The back-and-forth battle continued through the closing moments of the period, with Xavier clinging to a 53–51 lead entering the fourth.

Wyatt powered through contact to open the final frame, tying the game at 53. Xavier responded by maintaining at least a three-point cushion until Donald knocked down a clutch three to trim the deficit to 61–60. Wyatt then converted a pair of free throws to give the Johnnies a 62–61 edge with 1:12 remaining. Noel answered for Xavier to put the Musketeers back in front by one with 58 seconds left, but Wyatt responded again, drilling a turnaround jumper to reach a career-high 28 points with 40 seconds to play. Xavier tied the game at 64 on a free throw with 22 seconds remaining, setting the stage for the final possession. St. John's ran the clock down before Wagner drove into the lane and buried a turnaround jumper with 1.3 seconds on the clock, sealing a 66–64 victory for the Johnnies.

The Red Storm will return to Carnesecca for a two-game home stand. The Johnnies will host Marquette for Y2K night at 8 p.m. on Wednesday night.