Bluejays Overwhelmed as Creighton Endures Brutal Home Loss to St John's

A deflating day at home left Creighton searching for answers, as defensive lapses and cold shooting turned a winnable matchup into a frustrating setback. The Bluejays never found the rhythm or urgency needed to keep pace, raising new questions about consistency as conference play tightens.

St. John's Red Storm forward Zuby Ejiofor (24) and Creighton Bluejays forward Jasen Green (0) tip off to start the game at CHI Health Center Omaha. Images / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Creighton’s (10-7, 4-2 Big East) home floor offered no comfort on a day when little seemed to click, as the Bluejays absorbed a deflating 90–73 loss to St John's (11-5, 4-1 Big East). Defensive breakdowns, missed opportunities, and prolonged scoring droughts accumulated early and often, leaving the crowd restless. The team searched for answers in a game that slipped away far too quickly.

Creighton opened the night with a well‑deserved tribute to senior guard Josh Dix, celebrating his milestone of surpassing 1,000 career points. The arena rose to its feet as Dix was honored at center court, joined by teammates and coaches who recognized his steady rise from role player to reliable leader in the Bluejays’ backcourt.

Even with the pregame celebration for Dix’s 1,000‑point milestone, which injected some early energy into the building, Creighton still came out flat once the ball tipped. The Bluejays struggled to match St. John’s intensity from the opening possessions, falling behind in loose‑ball battles, giving up second‑chance opportunities, and failing to establish any offensive rhythm. The emotional lift of the ceremony never translated to on‑court urgency, and that sluggish start set the tone for a long night that they were never able to recover from.

Lefteris Liotopoulos powered St. John’s with a game‑high 17 points on an efficient 6‑of‑10 shooting, while junior forward Isaac Traudt led Creighton with 14 points on 4‑of‑8 from the field and a perfect 2‑for‑2 at the line. On the glass, Dillon Mitchell set the tone for SJU with nine rebounds, including seven on the defensive end, as sophomore guard Blake Harper paced Creighton with four boards. In the playmaking department, Zuby Ejiofor directed St. John’s offense with six assists in 30 minutes, while Dix led the Bluejays with three assists across 28 minutes.

We honored Josh Dix before tip-off tonight for surpassing 1,000 career points!

Congrats, Josh!#GoJays x @J0shDix pic.twitter.com/9jcDqHrk18

— Creighton Men’s Basketball (@BluejayMBB) January 10, 2026

Creighton’s loss stemmed from being outplayed in nearly every efficiency and effort category, as St. John’s dictated the game with sharper shooting, superior rebounding, and far more disruptive defense. The Red Storm shot 51% from the field and a blistering 52% from three, while Creighton lagged behind at 46% overall and 38% from deep.

The rebounding disparity proved even more costly, as St. John’s controlled the glass 39–26 and overwhelmed Creighton with a 12–2 advantage in offensive boards that fueled second‑chance points and prolonged possessions.

Creighton also struggled to generate ball movement, finishing with just 12 assists to St. John’s 19, and their nine turnovers turned into only four points, compared to 12 points off turnovers for the Red Storm. Add in a 34–24 deficit in the paint, fewer fast‑break points, and the fact that St. John’s led for 83% of the night with a largest lead of 27, and the picture becomes clear, Creighton was outworked, outshot, and out‑executed from start to finish

Creighton Bluejays guard Ty Davis (9) shoots the ball against St. John's Red Storm forward Zuby Ejiofor (24) during the first half at CHI Health Center Omaha. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Creighton won’t have long to dwell on this one, as the Bluejays return to the court Tuesday for a home matchup against Georgetown (9-6, 1-3 Big East), a chance to reset, regroup, and reclaim some momentum. With conference play tightening and urgency rising, the game offers an immediate opportunity to respond, clean up the issues that surfaced tonight, and show a sharper, more connected version of themselves in front of their home crowd.

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