Bluejays Fly East for High‑Stakes Battle at No. 17 St. John’s
Creighton steps onto one of college basketball’s grandest stages this weekend, traveling to New York City for a Saturday showdown with St. John’s at Madison Square Garden. The Bluejays, now 14‑13 and fighting to climb above .500 in Big East play, face a Red Storm squad riding a dominant 21‑5 season and sitting atop the league at 14‑1. It’s a rematch of last year’s Big East Tournament final, a night St. John’s used to capture its first conference title since 2000, and the stakes feel just as heavy as the two programs collide again under the Garden lights.
Creighton enters the weekend sitting squarely in the middle of a crowded Big East race, tied with Seton Hall at 8‑8 and 6.5 games behind conference‑leading St. John’s. At 14‑13 overall, the Bluejays are part of a tightly packed cluster of teams fighting for positioning in the conference’s middle tier, with DePaul, Xavier, Georgetown, and Butler all within striking distance. While the top three, St. John’s, UConn, and Villanova, have separated themselves, Creighton remains firmly in the mix for a top‑half finish and valuable tournament seeding. A road win over the first‑place Red Storm would not only create separation from the teams below them but also signal that the Jays are trending upward at the most important point of the season.
St. John’s overwhelmed Creighton the last time the two teams met, turning a fast start into a decisive 90–73 win. The Red Storm blitzed the Bluejays with a 52‑point first half, using pressure defense and relentless pace to build an 18‑point cushion by the break. Creighton steadied itself after halftime and actually won the second half 39–38, but the early damage was too much to overcome.
Creighton rolls into New York with momentum after Wednesday’s signature upset at No. 5 UConn, a win that showcased both the group’s resilience and its growing offensive balance. The Bluejays’ attack continues to be driven by a newcomer‑heavy core, led by Josh Dix’s steady scoring punch (12.3 ppg) and the shot‑making of freshman Austin Swartz (11.4 ppg). Nik Graves has emerged as the team’s engine at the point, averaging 10.3 points and 3.9 assists while keeping the offense organized, and Blake Harper adds toughness on the glass and in the mid‑range.
Jasen Green has been one of Creighton’s most impactful risers, providing 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, while Isaac Traudt remains a dangerous floor‑spacer who can flip a game with his shooting. With injuries limiting returners like Jackson McAndrew, Hudson Greer, and Josh Townley‑Thomas to just 20 combined appearances, Creighton’s newcomers have shouldered the load, and their continued growth will be central to the Jays’ hopes of stacking another marquee win.
Creighton’s path to stealing one on the road runs straight through the program’s own history with St. John’s, a matchup that has rewarded pace, poise, and offensive execution. The Bluejays are 14‑0 all‑time against the Red Storm when scoring 76 points or more, and seven of their last nine wins in the series have come when they’ve pushed past 77. That formula matters even more against a Pitino‑coached team that thrives on chaos, pressure, and forcing opponents into rushed decisions.
Creighton has also shown it can win in Queens, with all six of its Big East‑era road victories coming inside Carnesecca Arena. To replicate that success, the Jays need to control tempo, value possessions, and turn their balanced scoring into sustained runs. Greg McDermott’s 17‑9 mark against St. John’s suggests he knows how to navigate this matchup, but against a 14‑1 league leader, execution has to match the blueprint.
St. John’s enters with the statistical edge, boasting a more explosive offense at 84.0 points per game and a sturdier defense allowing just 72.0. The Red Storm also holds advantages on the glass and in disruptive plays, posting higher rebounding numbers (38.8 to 35.2), more blocks (4.8 to 2.6), and more steals (8.1 to 5.7).
Creighton keeps things closer in the efficiency category with both teams shooting 46 percent, and the Jays’ ball movement remains a strength with 15.6 assists per game. On paper, St. John’s brings the more complete statistical profile, pairing scoring punch with defensive pressure that could tilt the matchup their way unless Creighton dictates tempo and turns it into a skill‑execution game.
To beat St. John’s, Creighton has to start by slowing down Zuby Ejiofor, the preseason Big East Player of the Year and the engine behind the Red Storm’s 12‑game surge. Ejiofor’s blend of power, touch, and rim protection (16.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.0 blocks) makes him the matchup that can tilt the game if left unchecked.
Neutralizing his impact forces St. John’s to rely more heavily on its secondary scorers like Bryce Hopkins, Oziyah Sellers, and Ian Jackson, all capable but far less dominant when they’re not playing off Ejiofor’s gravity. Keeping him off the offensive glass, limiting his deep catches, and making him work defensively are essential if Creighton wants to disrupt an offense averaging 84 points and thriving on pressure‑induced turnovers.
Slowing Ejiofor doesn’t guarantee a win, but failing to do so almost guarantees a loss.
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Michael is a passionate sports writer who covers Major League Baseball, the NFL, college football, Rutgers University athletics, and Monmouth football. With published work at FanSided, The Rutgers Wire (USA Today), and The League Winners, Michael delivers insightful analysis, in-depth features, and timely coverage that connects fans to the heart of the game. His work highlights key storylines and standout performances across both professional (NFL & MLB) and collegiate sports (Football, Baseball, Basketball, and Wrestling), with a strong focus on New Jersey-based programs.