NEW YORK — RJ Luis Jr. delivered a standout performance with 23 points and 14 rebounds, propelling No. 9 St. John’s to a 79-73 win over No. 24 Creighton on Sunday, reinforcing their hold on the top position in the Big East.
The Red Storm improved to 22-4 overall, with a 13-2 conference record, putting them two games ahead of the Bluejays, who fell to 18-8 and 11-4 in the league. A victory for Creighton would have allowed them to secure the head-to-head tiebreaker, a crucial factor as St. John’s aims for its first regular-season championship since 1986.
Luis had an impressive shooting game, hitting 6 of 17 attempts and achieving his eighth double-double of the season. In a critical moment during the final two minutes, he nailed six free throws, finishing 10 of 13 from the foul line, which helped St. John’s maintain their momentum, marking their 10th win in 11 contests.
Kadary Richmond contributed significantly for the Red Storm with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Zuby Ejiofor chipped in with 18 points and nine rebounds.
For Creighton, Steven Ashworth led the team with 23 points, but the Bluejays struggled to regain their form after a nine-game winning streak, suffering two straight losses. Jamiya Neal also made a notable contribution with 19 points, but Ryan Kalkbrenner, a pivotal player for Creighton, managed only 12 points and appeared limited due to an injury sustained while contending for a rebound. Kalkbrenner needed assistance to leave the court but returned to play in the closing minutes.
Creighton faced challenges, particularly from beyond the arc, as they converted only 8 of 30 (26.7%) three-pointers. This follows their previous performance against UConn, where they hit just 29.2% of their long-range attempts.
St. John’s saw Deivon Smith return from injury, clocking 26 minutes on the floor and shooting 4 of 9 after sitting out the previous game against Villanova due to a neck issue. His shooting struggles had persisted through the last four games where he averaged just 23.5%.
A turning point in the game occurred when Creighton closed the gap to 61-59 following a tip-in from Neal after a rough shooting stretch. However, St. John’s quickly quelled the momentum with a three-pointer from Scott, followed by a jumper from Luis.
The Red Storm’s success at the free-throw line was another key highlight, as they shot 58.6% (17 of 29) from the stripe.
Looking ahead, Creighton will host Georgetown next Sunday, while St. John’s is set to travel to DePaul on Wednesday.
