Asa Newell led the Georgia Bulldogs with 18 points in a thrilling matchup against the 22nd-ranked St. John’s Red Storm, securing a narrow 66-63 victory on Sunday. In the game’s closing moments, Silas Demary Jr. made a pivotal defensive play by stealing the ball, which proved crucial in preserving Georgia’s lead. After a timeout with just 10 seconds to go, Demary’s timely intervention allowed Somto Cyril to retrieve the loose ball and hand it off to him, effectively running down the clock to clinch the win for Georgia (6-1).
Demary had a solid performance with 15 points, though he also recorded 10 turnovers. Zuby Ejiofor was the standout for St. John’s (5-2), contributing 22 points and eight rebounds. Aaron Scott supported the effort with 14 points, while RJ Luis Jr. added 13 points.
St. John’s began the week positively with a 4-0 record but faced disappointment with two losses in four days. The Red Storm fell in a nail-biting 99-98 double-overtime game against No. 13 Baylor on Thursday, where Ejiofor’s missed free throws in the final seconds allowed Jeremy Roach to hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer for the win.
One of the notable moments in the match occurred when Georgia handled significant foul trouble, resulting in St. John’s being awarded 28 free-throw attempts. Georgia’s Dylan James, who played merely 20 minutes, made an impactful play by blocking a jumper from Simeon Wilcher and grabbing an offensive rebound that led to a three-point play, putting Georgia ahead 61-57 with just over a minute remaining. Down the stretch, St. John’s struggled to find the basket, missing eight consecutive shots.
Despite the victory, Georgia faced challenges with St. John’s aggressive defense, committing 24 turnovers against only 24 successful shots. They barely avoided another turnover in the dying seconds when Wilcher went out of bounds just over 30 seconds before the final whistle, handing the ball back to Georgia. Demary subsequently converted the ensuing free throws, sealing the game.
Looking ahead, St. John’s will return to their home court to face Harvard on Saturday, while Georgia is set to host Jacksonville on the same day.