St. John's University Athletics
Saturday, January 3
New York, N.Y. (Madison Square Garden)
12 p.m.
St. John's University
vs
Providence
RV/No. 25 St. John’s to Welcome Providence at Madison Square Garden on FOX
1/2/2026 11:58:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The Red Storm men’s basketball team will host its first of nine BIG EAST regular season games at The World’s Most Famous Arena
QUEENS, N.Y. - The RV/No. 25 St. John's men's basketball team will host its first of nine BIG EAST regular season contests at Madison Square Garden on Saturday when it welcomes Providence for a 12 p.m. tip-off on FOX.
The Johnnies will play their first of five regular season games on FOX's flagship network. Tim Brando and Donny Marshall will have the call from Midtown Manhattan.
The LEARFIELD St. John's Radio Network broadcast will be available with John Minko and Brandon Tierney on ESPN New York 800 AM. The radio call will also be available on ESPN New York App, the Varsity Network, TuneIn, Sirius XM Channel 83, the SiriusXM App and the St. John's Red Storm App.
A limited number of tickets are still available for St. John's first appearance at The Mecca in 2026. To purchase tickets, click here, call the box office at 1-888-GO-STORM, visit RedStormTix.com or e-mail redstormsports@stjohns.edu.
St. John's (9-4, 2-0 BIG EAST) closed out 2025 with a 95-83 victory over Georgetown on Wednesday in our nation's capital. The Johnnies were red hot from downtown matching a program BIG EAST record with 15 made 3-pointers at Capital One Arena. Four different players made three or more triples as the Red Storm shot a season best 55.6 percent (15-27 3FG) from beyond-the-arc. On the season, the Johnnies have shot 36.5 percent (108-296 3FG) from long-range, which ranks second best in the conference.
The Johnnies moved to 2-0 in conference action after Wednesday's win and are one of four teams in the league to remain unbeaten in BIG EAST play. A victory on Saturday would improve the Red Storm to 3-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2010-11 season. The Johnnies have won five of their last six contests and are 7-1 at home this season.
Zuby Ejiofor guided the effort in the road victory delivering a 25-point, 10-rebound, career-high seven assist performance in Washington, D.C. The senior currently leads the team in scoring (14.6 ppg), rebounding (7.4 rpg), assists (3.1 apg) and blocks (2.4 bpg). The Garland, Texas native ranks 17th in NCAA Division I in rejections per contest and second in the BIG EAST in made free throws (69).
Sophomore Ian Jackson has elevated his play since reentering the starting line-up. In the guard's six games started, he is averaging 12.8 points per game on 48.5 percent shooting from 3-point range. The Bronx native has tallied five consecutive double-figure scoring outings and nailed a season-high four 3-pointers in each of the last two games.
The Red Storm will host all of its remaining home games at Madison Square Garden and carry a 11-game winning streak against BIG EAST opponents at the venue. St. John's has played three non-conference games at The Mecca, going 2-1 in those contests and its 12 regular season games at The World's Most Famous Arena mark the program's highest total since the 1951-52 season.
Head Coach Rick Pitino will face off against a team he formerly coached for the third time in the last six games on Saturday. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer led the Friars for two season from 1985-87, culminating with his first of seven Final Four appearances in 1987. Pitino is 11-3 all-time against Providence, including a 3-1 mark while with the Red Storm.
The two charter members of the BIG EAST Conference will meet on the hardwood for the 127th time with St. John's leading the all-time series, 68-58. The Johnnies have won four of the last five meetings in a tight-knit series, as each of the last seven contests have been decided by five points or fewer. Last season, the Red Storm swept the pair of meetings courtesy of two last second game-winers. Ejiofor beat the buzzer to earn a 72-70 victory at Amica Mutual Pavilion on Dec. 20, 2024 and Kadary Richmond lifted St. John's with a game-winning mid-range jumper, 68-66, on Feb. 1, 2025 at MSG.
Providence comes to the Big Apple with a 7-6 overall record and an 0-2 mark to start BIG EAST play. The Friars are coming off a two-week break and fell to Seton Hall in its last time out, 72-67, on Dec. 19.
Kim English's squad has been productive offensively ranking atop the conference and 23rd in NCAA Division I averaging 89.8 points per game. Vanderbilt transfer Jason Edwards leads the league and four Friars averaging in double-figures with 18.5 points per game. Jaylin Sellers (16.1 PPG), Stefan Vaaks (13.3 PPG) and Jamier Jones (10.1 PPG) are also scoring in double-digits.
Following Saturday's contest, St. John's will embark on a two-game road swing as it will head to Butler on Jan. 6 and Creighton on Jan. 10.
The Johnnies will play their first of five regular season games on FOX's flagship network. Tim Brando and Donny Marshall will have the call from Midtown Manhattan.
The LEARFIELD St. John's Radio Network broadcast will be available with John Minko and Brandon Tierney on ESPN New York 800 AM. The radio call will also be available on ESPN New York App, the Varsity Network, TuneIn, Sirius XM Channel 83, the SiriusXM App and the St. John's Red Storm App.
A limited number of tickets are still available for St. John's first appearance at The Mecca in 2026. To purchase tickets, click here, call the box office at 1-888-GO-STORM, visit RedStormTix.com or e-mail redstormsports@stjohns.edu.
St. John's (9-4, 2-0 BIG EAST) closed out 2025 with a 95-83 victory over Georgetown on Wednesday in our nation's capital. The Johnnies were red hot from downtown matching a program BIG EAST record with 15 made 3-pointers at Capital One Arena. Four different players made three or more triples as the Red Storm shot a season best 55.6 percent (15-27 3FG) from beyond-the-arc. On the season, the Johnnies have shot 36.5 percent (108-296 3FG) from long-range, which ranks second best in the conference.
The Johnnies moved to 2-0 in conference action after Wednesday's win and are one of four teams in the league to remain unbeaten in BIG EAST play. A victory on Saturday would improve the Red Storm to 3-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2010-11 season. The Johnnies have won five of their last six contests and are 7-1 at home this season.
Zuby Ejiofor guided the effort in the road victory delivering a 25-point, 10-rebound, career-high seven assist performance in Washington, D.C. The senior currently leads the team in scoring (14.6 ppg), rebounding (7.4 rpg), assists (3.1 apg) and blocks (2.4 bpg). The Garland, Texas native ranks 17th in NCAA Division I in rejections per contest and second in the BIG EAST in made free throws (69).
Sophomore Ian Jackson has elevated his play since reentering the starting line-up. In the guard's six games started, he is averaging 12.8 points per game on 48.5 percent shooting from 3-point range. The Bronx native has tallied five consecutive double-figure scoring outings and nailed a season-high four 3-pointers in each of the last two games.
The Red Storm will host all of its remaining home games at Madison Square Garden and carry a 11-game winning streak against BIG EAST opponents at the venue. St. John's has played three non-conference games at The Mecca, going 2-1 in those contests and its 12 regular season games at The World's Most Famous Arena mark the program's highest total since the 1951-52 season.
Head Coach Rick Pitino will face off against a team he formerly coached for the third time in the last six games on Saturday. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer led the Friars for two season from 1985-87, culminating with his first of seven Final Four appearances in 1987. Pitino is 11-3 all-time against Providence, including a 3-1 mark while with the Red Storm.
The two charter members of the BIG EAST Conference will meet on the hardwood for the 127th time with St. John's leading the all-time series, 68-58. The Johnnies have won four of the last five meetings in a tight-knit series, as each of the last seven contests have been decided by five points or fewer. Last season, the Red Storm swept the pair of meetings courtesy of two last second game-winers. Ejiofor beat the buzzer to earn a 72-70 victory at Amica Mutual Pavilion on Dec. 20, 2024 and Kadary Richmond lifted St. John's with a game-winning mid-range jumper, 68-66, on Feb. 1, 2025 at MSG.
Providence comes to the Big Apple with a 7-6 overall record and an 0-2 mark to start BIG EAST play. The Friars are coming off a two-week break and fell to Seton Hall in its last time out, 72-67, on Dec. 19.
Kim English's squad has been productive offensively ranking atop the conference and 23rd in NCAA Division I averaging 89.8 points per game. Vanderbilt transfer Jason Edwards leads the league and four Friars averaging in double-figures with 18.5 points per game. Jaylin Sellers (16.1 PPG), Stefan Vaaks (13.3 PPG) and Jamier Jones (10.1 PPG) are also scoring in double-digits.
Following Saturday's contest, St. John's will embark on a two-game road swing as it will head to Butler on Jan. 6 and Creighton on Jan. 10.
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
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