After breaking into the latest AP Top 25 Men’s College Basketball Poll, No. 20 St. John’s validated the recognition with a 79-71 overtime win over Xavier at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 22. 

Kadary Richmond delivered his best performance since arriving in Queens, leading the Red Storm with 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists. 

“When the game was on the line and we had to dig in, we made every great defensive play,” Rick Pitino said postgame. “Which we didn’t do in the first 28 minutes.”

Despite the win, St. John’s struggled on both ends in the first half, appearing out of rhythm for much of the opening 20 minutes.   

The Red Storm’s trademark high-energy defense appeared in flashes, but a sluggish scoring effort kept them from capitalizing. Richmond and Simeon Wilcher provided much of the early offense, combining for 17 of the Johnnies’ 30 first-half points, but contributions beyond that duo were scarce. 

RJ Luis Jr. had an uncharacteristically quiet start, failing to score in the first half while missing all five of his shot attempts. 

Zuby Ejiofor also struggled, initially overshadowed by his backup, Vince Iwuchukwu. The Red Storm’s captain managed just four points while Iwuchukwu added five, raising concerns at halftime.

Meanwhile, the visiting Musketeers took full advantage of St. John’s scoring woes, riding a balanced attack to build a 10-point lead at the break. 

Zach Fremantle, Dailyn Swain and Ryan Conwell combined for 32 points in the first half — outscoring St. John’s on their own while burying the freshly ranked Johnnies into a double-digit deficit. 

As has been the case all season, the Red Storm seem to thrive when facing what appears to be an insurmountable hole. 

Luis finally regained his ever-aggressive mindset, slicing through Xavier’s defense to get to the hoop. He sparked a personal 6-0 run early in the second half, completely shifting the momentum into the hosts’ favor. 

Richmond and Wilcher maintained their first-half intensity, playing ultra-aggressive defense and facilitating the offense. 

Ejiofor, realizing he could take advantage of a smaller-framed Freemantle who was already in foul trouble, exploded for 12 points while dominating the boards.

“I feel like it’s been a constant thing all year where I kind of start off slow in the first half,” Ejiofor said. “I think my motor just keeps me going.”

As the second half progressed, the scoreboard grew tighter. 

All 14,545 fans in attendance watched as the Johnnies were, once again, about to pull off the unfathomable. 

Richmond drove and connected on a lay-in attempt with just a minute to play, tying the game at 65 and ultimately sending the contest to overtime after neither side was able to convert their final possessions of regulation. 

The extra period played witness to complete dominance from St. John’s.

They outscored the Musketeers 14-6, riding Richmond’s brilliance to victory. 

“I try to approach every game the same, but tonight I feel like I was more aggressive,” the Seton Hall transfer said. “I took what the defense gave me and my teammates [have] kept giving me confidence throughout the year.”

With tonight’s showing, Richmond became just the fourth active collegiate player nationwide to notch 1,500 career points and 600 career assists. 

“We needed the win as much as Xavier. We had to have this win,” Pitino said. “We cannot take losses. It’s non-negotiable for us. And that’s the attitude we have and that’s why we come back.”

Now 8-1 in conference play and 17-3 overall, St. John’s shifts focus to a Tuesday night matchup with Georgetown at Capital One Arena on Jan. 28.