St John's defeats DePaul 79-66
St John's Edges DePaul Behind Balanced Effort, Wins 79-66
In a closely contested conference matchup, St John's (HOME) emerged victorious over visiting DePaul, 79-66, on Thursday night at Carnesecca Arena.
The Red Storm took an early lead in the first half, outscoring DePaul 39-28 behind strong shooting from beyond the arc. The Blue Demons cut the deficit to just two points, but St John's responded with a 10-0 run late in the period to take a commanding 18-point lead into halftime.
The second half saw DePaul close the gap further, outscoring St John's 38-39, but ultimately fell short. Dylan Darling led the way for St John's, scoring 17 points on 3-5 three-point shooting and 55.6% field goal percentage.
Joson Sanon chipped in with nine rebounds, 15 points, and one steal, while Oziyah Sellers provided four assists, seven points, two rebounds, and one steal. The Red Storm's balanced attack allowed them to outscore DePaul in nearly every category, including points in the paint (30-30) and fast break points (12-5).
For DePaul, Kaleb Banks led the way with 19 points, three made threes, and 50% shooting from the field. Layden Blocker added seven assists, four points, and three steals.
St John's' win marked a significant milestone in conference play, as they extended their lead in the standings. The Blue Demons, meanwhile, will look to bounce back from the tough loss against a tough opponent.
Advanced Statistics
St John's' strong shooting efficiency was on full display, with an effective field goal percentage (eFG%) of 53.4% and a true shooting percentage of 58.7%. DePaul struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 28% of their three-point attempts.
The Red Storm also excelled in rebounding, outboarding DePaul 29-24 on the glass. St John's' ability to control the boards allowed them to limit DePaul's fast break opportunities, further stifling the Blue Demons' offense.
In a closely contested game, every point counted for both teams. In the end, St John's' balanced attack and strong shooting proved too much for DePaul to overcome.