Ejiofor recordeds career highs in points and boards in St. John's win over Kansas St.
NEW YORK (AP) Zuby Ejiofor posted career highs scoring 28 points and grabbing 13 rebounds and St. John's used an offensive eruption after halftime to beat Kansas State 88-71 in a Big 12-Big East Battle contest on Saturday.
Ejiofor finished 11-for-17 shooting, Kadary Richmond scored 13 points and RJ Luis Jr. and reserve Simeon Wilcher each scored 11 for St. John's (7-2). The Red Storm had a 51-40 rebound advantage and a 17-10 edge in assists.
Brendan Hausen scored 21 of his 27 points before halftime, David N'Guessan scored 15 points and Coleman Hawkins 11 and grabbed nine rebounds for the Wildcats (6-3).
In a game of runs, St. John's ran away with it after halftime, starting with an 18-5 run over the first 4 1/2 minutes to go up 53-44 with consecutive 3-pointers from Luis and Aaron Scott. Ruben Prey's 3 gave the Red Storm a 62-50 lead at 11:01 to play and they led by double digits for the remainder. St. John's scored 53 points after intermission.
The first half featured runs by both teams.
St. John's used a 12-1 run turning a 16-7 deficit to a 19-17 lead; it's first lead of the game. The Wildcats countered with a 14-2 outburst in which Hausen sank three 3s and Max Jones added another for a 31-21 lead. St. John's rallied with an 8-0 spurt that took just a little more than minute to get within 31-28 with 3:42 left before halftime. The Wildcats led 39-35 at halftime.
It was the first time the two teams faced each other since Dec. 10, 1965, when then first-year head coach Lou Carnesseca led St. John’s to a 72-65 win. Carnesecca died at age 99 on Nov. 30.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | (Wildcats gains possession) | ||
| 19:42 |  | C.J. Jones misses two point layup | ||
| 19:40 | | Kadary Richmond defensive rebound | ||
| 19:29 | | RJ Luis Jr. misses two point jump shot | ||
| 19:27 | | David N'Guessan defensive rebound | ||
| 19:07 | | Coleman Hawkins misses two point layup | ||
| 19:05 | | Kadary Richmond defensive rebound | ||
| 18:55 | | Kadary Richmond misses two point layup | ||
| 18:53 | | Red Storm offensive rebound | ||
| 18:51 | | Kadary Richmond turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 18:37 | | RJ Luis Jr. blocks Max Jones's two point layup | ||
| 18:35 | | Wildcats offensive rebound | ||
| 18:34 | | Coleman Hawkins turnover (bad pass) (Zuby Ejiofor steals) | ||
| 18:22 | | Kadary Richmond misses two point layup | ||
| 18:20 | | Max Jones defensive rebound | ||
| 18:04 | | +2 | Coleman Hawkins makes two point layup | 2-0 |
| 17:47 | | Zuby Ejiofor misses three point jump shot | ||
| 17:45 | | C.J. Jones defensive rebound | ||
| 17:37 | | +3 | Brendan Hausen makes three point jump shot (David N'Guessan assists) | 5-0 |
| 17:25 | | +2 | Kadary Richmond makes two point jump shot | 5-2 |
| 17:09 | | +2 | Brendan Hausen makes two point jump shot | 7-2 |
| 16:54 | | +3 | Aaron Scott makes three point jump shot | 7-5 |
| 16:28 | | Brendan Hausen misses three point jump shot | ||
| 16:26 | | Kadary Richmond defensive rebound | ||
| 16:17 | | Kadary Richmond misses two point jump shot | ||
| 16:15 | | David N'Guessan defensive rebound | ||
| 16:05 | | +2 | David N'Guessan makes two point layup (Max Jones assists) | 9-5 |
| 15:49 | | Aaron Scott misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:47 | | Max Jones defensive rebound | ||
| 15:40 | | TV timeout | ||
| 15:37 | | Max Jones misses two point jump shot | ||
| 15:35 | | RJ Luis Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 15:17 | | RJ Luis Jr. misses two point jump shot | ||
| 15:15 | | David N'Guessan defensive rebound | ||
| 15:02 | | +3 | Brendan Hausen makes three point jump shot (Coleman Hawkins assists) | 12-5 |
| 14:39 | | Max Jones shooting foul (RJ Luis Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 14:39 | | +1 | RJ Luis Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 12-6 |
| 14:39 | | +1 | RJ Luis Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 12-7 |
| 14:10 | | +2 | Dug McDaniel makes two point layup | 14-7 |
| 13:57 | | Simeon Wilcher turnover (bad pass) (Coleman Hawkins steals) | ||
| 13:51 | | Brendan Hausen misses three point jump shot | ||
| 13:49 | | RJ Luis Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 13:46 | | Brady Dunlap misses three point jump shot | ||
| 13:44 | | Coleman Hawkins defensive rebound | ||
| 13:33 | | +2 | David N'Guessan makes two point dunk (Brendan Hausen assists) | 16-7 |
| 13:32 | | Red Storm 30 second timeout | ||
| 13:22 | | +3 | Brady Dunlap makes three point jump shot (Aaron Scott assists) | 16-10 |
| 13:01 | | Zuby Ejiofor blocks Coleman Hawkins's two point layup | ||
| 12:59 | | Deivon Smith defensive rebound | ||
| 12:56 | | Aaron Scott misses three point jump shot | ||
| 12:54 | | Achor Achor defensive rebound | ||
| 12:25 | | Dug McDaniel misses three point jump shot | ||
| 12:23 | | Coleman Hawkins offensive rebound | ||
| 12:17 | | Brendan Hausen misses two point layup | ||
| 12:15 | | Wildcats offensive rebound | ||
| 12:15 | | Aaron Scott personal foul | ||
| 11:57 | | Dug McDaniel misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:55 | | Deivon Smith defensive rebound | ||
| 11:48 | | C.J. Jones blocks Zuby Ejiofor's two point layup | ||
| 11:46 | | Max Jones defensive rebound | ||
| 11:39 | | Dug McDaniel misses two point layup | ||
| 11:37 | | Simeon Wilcher defensive rebound | ||
| 11:29 | | Deivon Smith misses two point jump shot | ||
| 11:27 | | David N'Guessan defensive rebound | ||
| 11:19 | | C.J. Jones misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:17 | | Deivon Smith defensive rebound | ||
| 11:12 | | RJ Luis Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:10 | | Zuby Ejiofor offensive rebound | ||
| 11:05 | | +2 | Zuby Ejiofor makes two point dunk (Deivon Smith assists) | 16-12 |
| 10:43 | | Achor Achor misses two point jump shot | ||
| 10:41 | | Deivon Smith defensive rebound | ||
| 10:32 | | +3 | Deivon Smith makes three point jump shot | 16-15 |
| 10:29 | | Wildcats 30 second timeout | ||
| 10:29 | | TV timeout | ||
| 10:11 | | Simeon Wilcher shooting foul (Brendan Hausen draws the foul) | ||
| 10:11 | | Brendan Hausen misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 10:11 | | +1 | Brendan Hausen makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 17-15 |
| 9:57 | | David N'Guessan shooting foul (RJ Luis Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 9:57 | | +1 | RJ Luis Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 17-16 |
| 9:57 | | +1 | RJ Luis Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 17-17 |
| 9:44 | | Coleman Hawkins misses two point jump shot | ||
| 9:42 | | Vince Iwuchukwu defensive rebound | ||
| 9:35 | | +2 | Vince Iwuchukwu makes two point layup (RJ Luis Jr. assists) | 17-19 |
| 9:19 | | Brendan Hausen misses two point layup | ||
| 9:17 | | Coleman Hawkins offensive rebound | ||
| 9:10 | | Coleman Hawkins misses two point layup | ||
| 9:10 | | Coleman Hawkins offensive rebound | ||
| 9:10 | | David N'Guessan misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:08 | | Coleman Hawkins offensive rebound | ||
| 9:01 | | +3 | Brendan Hausen makes three point jump shot (Coleman Hawkins assists) | 20-19 |
| 8:48 | | Vince Iwuchukwu misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:46 | | Red Storm offensive rebound | ||
| 8:34 | | Deivon Smith misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:32 | | Aaron Scott offensive rebound | ||
| 8:25 | | Aaron Scott misses two point layup | ||
| 8:23 | | Coleman Hawkins defensive rebound | ||
| 8:19 | | +3 | Brendan Hausen makes three point jump shot (Max Jones assists) | 23-19 |
| 8:04 | | Kadary Richmond misses two point layup | ||
| 8:02 | | Coleman Hawkins defensive rebound | ||
| 8:00 | | Aaron Scott personal foul | ||
| 8:00 | | TV timeout | ||
| 7:48 | | Vince Iwuchukwu blocks C.J. Jones's two point layup | ||
| 7:46 | | RJ Luis Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 7:28 | | RJ Luis Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Coleman Hawkins steals) | ||
| 7:20 | | +3 | Max Jones makes three point jump shot (C.J. Jones assists) | 26-19 |
| 7:06 | | Brady Dunlap misses two point jump shot | ||
| 7:04 | | Red Storm offensive rebound | ||
| 7:04 | | Jump ball. (Red Storm gains possession) | ||
| 7:02 | | RJ Luis Jr. misses two point layup | ||
| 7:00 | | Zuby Ejiofor offensive rebound | ||
| 6:57 | | +2 | Zuby Ejiofor makes two point putback dunk | 26-21 |
| 6:43 | | David N'Guessan misses two point layup | ||
| 6:41 | | Kadary Richmond defensive rebound | ||
| 6:34 | | Zuby Ejiofor misses two point layup | ||
| 6:32 | | Coleman Hawkins defensive rebound | ||
| 6:12 | | Coleman Hawkins turnover (bad pass) (Deivon Smith steals) | ||
| 6:06 | | Deivon Smith misses two point layup | ||
| 6:04 | | Brendan Hausen defensive rebound | ||
| 5:57 | | +3 | Brendan Hausen makes three point jump shot | 29-21 |
| 5:45 | | RJ Luis Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:43 | | Max Jones defensive rebound | ||
| 5:37 | | +2 | David N'Guessan makes two point dunk (Max Jones assists) | 31-21 |
| 5:35 | | Red Storm 30 second timeout | ||
| 5:17 | | +2 | Kadary Richmond makes two point jump shot | 31-23 |
| 5:02 | | Brendan Hausen turnover (back court violation) | ||
| 4:54 | | Jaiden Glover misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:52 | | Zuby Ejiofor offensive rebound | ||
| 4:48 | | C.J. Jones blocks Zuby Ejiofor's two point dunk | ||
| 4:46 | | Brendan Hausen defensive rebound | ||
| 4:38 | | Kadary Richmond blocks C.J. Jones's two point layup | ||
| 4:36 | | Achor Achor offensive rebound | ||
| 4:36 | | Achor Achor offensive foul | ||
| 4:36 | | Achor Achor turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 4:23 | | +3 | Jaiden Glover makes three point jump shot (RJ Luis Jr. assists) | 31-26 |
| 4:06 | | C.J. Jones turnover (lost ball) | ||
| 3:43 | | David N'Guessan blocks Jaiden Glover's two point dunk | ||
| 3:43 | | Zuby Ejiofor offensive rebound | ||
| 3:42 | | +2 | Zuby Ejiofor makes two point layup | 31-28 |
| 3:42 | | Achor Achor shooting foul (Zuby Ejiofor draws the foul) | ||
| 3:42 | | TV timeout | ||
| 3:42 | | +1 | Zuby Ejiofor makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 31-29 |
| 3:28 | | Zuby Ejiofor blocks Dug McDaniel's two point layup | ||
| 3:26 | | Wildcats offensive rebound | ||
| 3:15 | | +3 | Dug McDaniel makes three point jump shot | 34-29 |
| 2:52 | | +2 | Kadary Richmond makes two point dunk (Zuby Ejiofor assists) | 34-31 |
| 2:34 | | David N'Guessan misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:32 | | RJ Luis Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 2:26 | | David N'Guessan blocks RJ Luis Jr.'s two point layup | ||
| 2:24 | | Zuby Ejiofor offensive rebound | ||
| 2:20 | | +2 | Zuby Ejiofor makes two point layup | 34-33 |
| 2:00 | | +3 | Brendan Hausen makes three point jump shot | 37-33 |
| 1:34 | | +2 | Zuby Ejiofor makes two point layup | 37-35 |
| 1:03 | | Dug McDaniel misses two point jump shot | ||
| 1:01 | | Zuby Ejiofor defensive rebound | ||
| 0:53 | | Deivon Smith turnover (bad pass) (David N'Guessan steals) | ||
| 0:46 | | +2 | David N'Guessan makes two point layup (Coleman Hawkins assists) | 39-35 |
| 0:28 | | Ruben Prey misses two point layup | ||
| 0:26 | | Brendan Hausen defensive rebound | ||
| 0:03 | | Dug McDaniel misses two point layup | ||
| 0:01 | | Simeon Wilcher defensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |