The St. John’s men’s basketball team successfully defended home court at Carnesecca Arena with a 73–63 win over Towson. It wasn’t pretty, not at all, but as Jon Rothstein always says: it’s only October. Rick Pitino used the exhibition as a chance to experiment with several rotations, including stretches with three guards on the floor and others featuring three forwards. With today’s game in the books, here are five takeaways.

Zuby Ejiofor struggles early, but finds rhythm second half

After Zuby Ejiofor left the court with 19 minutes remaining in the second half, it seemed unlikely we’d see him again that afternoon. The former co-captain struggled to finish around the rim, missing all five of his field-goal attempts in 16 first-half minutes.

Pitino, however, gave him another chance late, subbing him back in for the final 10 minutes. Ejiofor responded by hitting two of his five shots and sinking five of six from the free-throw line. He finished with nine points, six rebounds and three assists, a reminder that even veteran leaders can use tune-ups during exhibition play.

“He was tested tonight,” head coach Rick Pitino said. “Zuby has to learn not to get flustered, get the other guys the ball, and you’ll be fine.”

In his place, Ruben Prey logged quality second-half minutes, proving the Johnnies have a reliable backup option at center. Ejiofor will have another chance to build momentum on Oct. 25, when St. John’s faces a tough Michigan squad.

Sadiku Ibine-Ayo has a perfect role off the bench

St. John’s entered the offseason with one major focus: improving its bench depth and getting quality minutes from non-starters. Senior guard Sadiku Ibine-Ayo was a clear sign today that Rick Pitino has addressed that need.

Ibine-Ayo was one of the few reserves to earn consistent minutes last season, highlighted by a 15-point, five-rebound performance in a start against DePaul. He averaged just eight minutes per game overall, but his role looks poised to expand.

In the win over Towson, Ibine Ayo provided a major spark. He hit a key three-pointer to give the Red Storm a 44–41 lead, one they never surrendered. He finished with nine points, tying Dillon Mitchell for the second-most on the team.

“I thought he gave us a big lift tonight,” Pitino said. “He has a lot of experience, especially in knowing what to do.”

With St. John’s expected to rely on a deeper rotation this season, Ibine Ayo looks ready to make a consistent impact off the bench.

Dillon Mitchell is a master of all crafts

St. John’s earned plenty of praise following the addition of Dillon Mitchell, and today showed exactly why. Mitchell is the kind of player every team wants: a master of the fundamentals with strengths in nearly every area of his game.

But Mitchell doesn’t want to be known for his versatility. He wants to be known for his defense.

“I want to be known as a defender,” Mitchell said. “I’ve prided myself on that since high school.”

Every time Mitchell stepped on the floor, he made an immediate impact. The Cincinnati transfer totaled three steals, showcasing defensive instincts that go far beyond the box score. He switched seamlessly onto multiple matchups, especially impressive for a forward and finished 4-for-7 from the field, tying Sadiku Ibine Ayo for the second-most points on the team.

The sky is the limit for Mitchell. Rick Pitino has already expressed how high he is on the senior, saying he has the ability to be a great player, and today, he looked every bit of that.

Bryce Hopkins effective off bench, even with strong comments from coach

The drama of the week centered on Rick Pitino’s public frustration with Bryce Hopkins’ recent play as the season approached. On Saturday, Hopkins came off the bench and reminded everyone, including his coach, why his ceiling remains sky-high.

Earlier in the week, Pitino called Hopkins “a good, solid player,” but said he expects more, believing the former Providence forward has the potential to be one of the nation’s best.

Hopkins backed that up with a strong all-around showing, logging 26 minutes and filling the stat sheet: 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Beyond the numbers, it was a milestone moment, Hopkins’ first game back since suffering a torn ACL last December.

“It feels amazing,” Hopkins said. “Just to get back out there and be fully healthy, to play with the guys and face another opponent for the first time felt really good.”

Hopkins is expected to reclaim his starting role when St. John’s opens the season against Quinnipiac on Nov. 3. Saturday’s performance was a reminder of his potential, and that Pitino’s tough love might be exactly what fuels his return to form.

Can St. John’s really play without a “true” point guard? 

The idea of St. John’s running a starting five without a traditional point guard raised concerns among fans and analysts alike. Ian Jackson was expected to handle point guard duties despite averaging less than one assist per game last season. With Oziyah Sellers and Joson Sanon, both natural shooting guards, in the same rotation, ball distribution was a key storyline entering the matchup.

One thing that became clear Saturday: Rick Pitino wants his frontcourt to help facilitate the offense. Big men Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins led the team in assists, while freshman Ruben Prey chipped in three of his own.

Jackson was quiet in that department, failing to record an assist in 17 minutes, while traditional point guard Dylan Darling finished with just two in 24 minutes.

As Pitino noted afterward, this was the team’s first game against an actual opponent — and with a raucous home crowd, nerves were understandably high. Still, St. John’s will need sharper ball movement and more consistent playmaking from its guards as the season begins.