Item 1 of 35 Jan 17, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard Acaden Lewis (55) drives for a shot against St. John’s Red Storm forward Bryce Hopkins (23) during the first half at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
[1\/35]Jan 17, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard Acaden Lewis (55) drives for a shot against St. John’s Red Storm forward Bryce Hopkins (23) during the first half at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab<\/a><\/p>\n January 18 – Bryce Hopkins scored 20 points and St. John’s topped host Villanova 86-79 in Big East action on Saturday in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n Ian Jackson contributed 18 points for the Red Storm (13-5, 6-1 Big East), who have won four straight games. Zuby Ejiofor added 17 points for St. John’s, while Dillon Mitchell pitched in with 10 points and 10 rebounds.<\/p>\n The Wildcats (14-4, 5-2), who had won seven of their previous eight games, committed 14 turnovers, compared to nine for the Red Storm. St. John’s finished with a 17-6 advantage in points off turnovers.<\/p>\n Tyler Perkins scored 23 points and Devin Askew had 21 to pace Villanova. Bryce Lindsay added 11 points for the hosts.<\/p>\n St. John’s led by one point at halftime before two early buckets by Jackson and five points by Hopkins in under a minute led to a 20-4 run to open the session.<\/p>\n Baskets by Oziyah Sellers and Jackson pushed the St. John’s lead to double figures for the first time, 49-39 with 15:20 left. Jackson then added a 3-pointer before layups by Hopkins and Sellers created a 56-39 advantage.<\/p>\n Villanova chipped away, getting within 10 on Lindsay’s 3-pointer with 10:42 left and then within 66-59 on Perkins’ 3-pointer with 8:13 remaining. Perkins’ basket with 6:36 to play brought the Wildcats within five.<\/p>\n However, Ejiofor put back his own miss and Joson Sanon drained a 3-pointer as the Red Storm pushed the lead back to 11 with four minutes to go.<\/p>\n Villanova briefly got within five points with a minute left before Hopkins knocked down four free throws down the stretch to seal the deal.<\/p>\n Neither team led by more than four points in the first half until Hopkins’ layup gave St. John’s a 27-22 lead.<\/p>\n The Red Storm went on to lead by as many as seven late in the session. However, Askew made two 3-pointers down the stretch to bring the Wildcats within 36-35 at the break.<\/p>\n Askew led all players with 10 points in the first half.<\/p>\n –Field Level Media<\/p>\n Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab<\/a><\/p>\n