After playing all but one of their nonconference games at home, St. John’s embarked on a back-to-back road trip for the first time this season. After a challenging start, the Red Storm have found comfort on the road, going 2-0 against Big East opponents and earning their third victory against Creighton in dominant fashion.
Don’t look now, but St. John’s now sits at 3-4 in Quad 1 games, ending the week with two Quad 1 victories on the road against Butler and Creighton. With that, here are five takeaways.
Best-Case Starting Rotation Going Forward
After two straight disappointing performances from Jason Sanon in the starting rotation, a change was necessary. The solution was simple: slot versatile forward Dillon Mitchell into the starting five while moving Sanon to the bench.
The new rotation gives the Johnnies a clear advantage: two guards with above-average shooting ability to stretch the court on offense and three big men who serve as defensive anchors. Several lineups have been tried this season, but this one makes the most sense. It allows Mitchell to make an impact from the start, which he did against Creighton, while Dylan Darling provides a reliable spark off the bench.
Best First Half of the Season
For just the fourth time this season, Rick Pitino opted to have Sanon come off the bench, giving Mitchell a deserved start. Mitchell has been a dominant player off the bench all season, prompting Pitino to suggest earlier that he could earn a starting role.
Right out of the gate, St. John’s attacked the basket, scoring seven quick points. The starting lineup added size and balance, with two guards capable of high-percentage shooting.
It was all hands on deck through the first 20 minutes, with all but one player who recorded minutes scoring at least a point. The Johnnies went 19-for-35 from the field and 7-for-11 from beyond the arc, thanks to a strong start from sophomore guard Lefteris Liotopoulos, who went 3-for-3 from three.
At halftime, St. John’s held a 52-34 lead, dominating the Blue Jays in all aspects of the game, including rebounds, where they had 14 more than their opponent. Oziyah Sellers led the way offensively with 14 first-half points.
A dominant first half was a refreshing sight for St. John’s fans, especially after the team’s struggles in early stretches of previous games.
Lefteris Liotopoulos’ Confidence at an All-Time High
Pitino has consistently trusted the Greek sophomore with minutes. Last season, Liotopoulos’ role was clear: provide a threat from beyond the arc. He was one of the few players who could consistently knock down three-pointers, and that skill continues to shine.
Over recent games, Liotopoulos has gained confidence, earning more minutes off the bench and making a bigger impact in limited time. Against Creighton, he provided an early spark, going 3-for-3 from three and totaling nine first-half points. Pitino was so impressed that he started Liotopoulos to begin the second half, keeping him on the floor for the first eight minutes.
Every successful team needs a bench presence like Liotopoulos. Fortunately, the Red Storm have two, with Dylan Darling also acting as a consistent spark plug.
Oziyah Sellers Back to Dominance
It has been a rough stretch for Oziyah Sellers over the last few weeks. The Stanford transfer has the ability to dominate scoring from beyond the arc, doing so in several contests this season, including back-to-back 20-point performances against Baylor and Iowa State during the Las Vegas trip.
In the victory over Creighton, Sellers played a key role, scoring 14 points in the first half while shooting 5-for-6 from the field. He finished with 16 points and added six rebounds.
As has been noted all season, Sellers has the ability to be the team’s leading scorer, but the only missing piece is consistency.
Rebound Clinic
Rebounding has been a struggle for St. John’s all season, but against Creighton, that problem was firmly in the rearview mirror.
It was clear from the start that St. John’s played with a different energy on the boards, a shift that could be attributed to Dillon Mitchell starting. Mitchell grabbed six rebounds in the first half alone. The effort was team-wide, with six players collecting at least four rebounds, helping St. John’s finish with 39, 13 more than the Bluejays.
Mitchell led the way with nine rebounds, followed by a strong performance from Sellers, who had six rebounds, more than the usual leaders, Bryce Hopkins and Zuby Ejiofor. The rebounding dominance translated into another advantage: second-chance points.
Thanks to the margin on the glass, St. John’s scored 10 second-chance points, while Creighton had none, aided by a 12-2 edge in offensive rebounds.
