NEW YORK (AP) — Bryce Hopkins and Joson Sanon scored 15 points apiece, and No. 13 St. John’s pulled away early in the second half for a 93-60 victory over William & Mary on Saturday night.
Hopkins and Sanon combined to make 11 of 23 shots for the Red Storm (2-1), who dropped eight spots in this week’s AP Top 25 poll after last weekend’s loss to Alabama at Madison Square Garden.
Dylan Darling returned from a minor calf injury that kept him out against Alabama and contributed 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting. He had four of the Red Storm's 13 steals.
Oziyah Sellers also finished with 13 points and hit a trio of 3-pointers for the Johnnies, who went 6 for 28 (21%) from behind the arc.
Zuby Ejiofor did not attempt a shot until late in the first half and scored 11 points. The preseason Big East player of the year also had five rebounds and four assists.
St. John’s offset its struggles from beyond the arc by scoring 54 points in the paint. The Red Storm had 25 layups and dunks while finishing with 24 fast-break points.
Reese Miller scored 11 points for the Tribe (2-2), whose last win over a Top 25 team was against North Carolina in 1977. They shot 38% from the floor and committed 24 turnovers.
William & Mary tied the score twice in the final six minutes of the first half before St. John’s held a 39-34 lead at the break. The Red Storm scored the first eight points of the second, took a 13-point lead on Ejiofor’s putback slam and reeled off 19 straight points for a 66-36 advantage on a jumper by Lefteris Liotopoulos with 13:28 left.
William & Mary: Plays at Bowling Green on Wednesday.
St. John’s: Will host Bucknell on Thursday.
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