St. John’s Defeats Baylor 96-81, Hands Bears First Loss
BREAKING: In an electrifying matchup, No. 14 St. John’s decisively defeated Baylor, handing the Bears their first loss of the season with a score of 96-81 at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. This pivotal victory marks a significant rebound for St. John’s, improving their record to 4-2 after falling to No. 15 Iowa State just a day earlier.
The Red Storm showcased their dominance in the second half, expanding their lead to an impressive 23 points. Star player Bryce Hopkins led the charge with 26 points, while Oziyah Sellers made a substantial impact, contributing 22 points and hitting 5 of 7 from beyond the arc. St. John’s shot an astonishing 57.4% from the field, including an impressive 11 of 22 on three-pointers.
Despite a strong rebounding performance in the first half, where Baylor outrebounded St. John’s 25-14, they struggled offensively, finishing the game with a season-low shooting percentage of 37.2%. Cameron Carr was the standout for Baylor, leading all scorers with 27 points.
The Bears, who previously shot above 43.1% in their first four games, found it difficult to establish their rhythm against a tenacious St. John’s defense that held them to just 33.3% shooting in the first half. The Red Storm capitalized on this, shooting 59.3% in the opening 20 minutes and building a lead as large as 15 points.
Sellers, who had just set a season high with 20 points in the previous game, ignited the Red Storm with 14 points in the first half, helping them to a 43-34 lead at halftime. Dillon Mitchell added 18 points off the bench, further solidifying St. John’s offensive onslaught.
Both teams are set to continue their play in the tournament on Wednesday, with opponents and times still to be determined. Fans are eagerly awaiting the next chapter in this thrilling festival, keeping an eye on how these teams will rebound from this intense showdown.
This stunning defeat for Baylor raises questions about their future performance, while St. John’s is riding high on momentum. Stay tuned for more updates as the tournament progresses and these teams face off against new challengers.
