The St. John’s Red Storm put a damper on a night that should have belonged to Marquette star forward Chase Ross, who scored his 1,000th career point. Marquette fell into an early hole, trailing by 10 in the first two minutes, but managed to keep the first half competitive after St. John’s stars Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins entered foul trouble. Trailing 40–34 at halftime, the game was within reach for Marquette entering the second half. However, a suffocating 13–0 run by St. John’s quickly created a deficit the Golden Eagles could not overcome in the final minutes.
What We Liked
St. John’s veteran big three of Zuby Ejiofor, Bryce Hopkins, and Oziyah Sellers combined for 58 of the Red Storm’s 80 points.The youth movement is in full swing. After Zaide Lowry’s Dec. 28 departure from the program, the backcourt belonged to star freshman Nigel James Jr. Coming off a career-high 31-point performance against Villanova, James served as the primary ball handler once again.
The coaching staff continues to place increased trust in the freshman, who now holds the highest possession rate on the team. With absences from upperclassmen Ben Gold and Zaide Lowry, freshman forward Michael Phillips logged a season-high 16 minutes. Known for his intriguing upside as a lanky three-point shooter, Phillips has begun to show promise as a rebounding forward, averaging five rebounds in just 13 minutes over his past three games.
Photo Cred: Reuters
Sophomore Damarius Owens provided a much-needed spark alongside Chase Ross and Nigel James. The second-year forward delivered a complete performance on both ends of the floor, finishing with 10 points, two steals, and one block. While consistency remains a question, the former top-100 prospect is building momentum after his second double-digit scoring performance of the season.
Areas for Improvement
As has been the case for the past 15 months, Marquette’s rebounding on both ends of the floor remains a concern. For the eighth time this season, the Golden Eagles lost the rebounding battle, 39–26. Limited frontcourt depth offered little help, but controlling the boards continues to be a persistent issue for Shaka Smart’s team.
Paint defense also resurfaced as a major problem. St. John’s forwards Bryce Hopkins and Zuby Ejiofor consistently penetrated the interior of Marquette’s defense, leading to multiple second-chance opportunities. While the Golden Eagles’ perimeter defense continues to trend in the right direction, the interior lacks the physicality necessary to compete in the Big East.
The simplistic half-court offensive sets also played a significant role in Monday’s blowout loss. Too many possessions relied heavily on isolation scoring with limited off-ball movement. While it’s encouraging to see Smart entrust Nigel James with more offensive responsibility, quality shots are difficult to generate when the defense is keyed in on a single player. With just three assists in the first half and 10 total, limited ball movement defined Marquette’s offensive struggles throughout the night.
