If there were any questions surrounding St. John’s’ first placement in the AP Top 25 Men’s Basketball Poll in nearly six years, the doubters were silenced in Sunday afternoon’s Madison Square Garden opener. 

The Red Storm boasted a perfect record through three games but hadn’t faced the toughest of competition. In its first challenge, Head Coach Rick Pitino’s crew led his son, Richard, and the New Mexico Lobos wire-to-wire in a dominant 85-71 victory. 

“It was a great win with a great crowd,” the Hall of Famer said. “[I’m] really proud of the guys. This was our first big test.”

As 12,000 fans packed the World’s Most Famous Arena for the father-son showdown, St. John’s looked every bit of a tournament-caliber team. 

All five starters posted double-digits in the scoring column as RJ Luis Jr.’s near-triple-double (21 pts., 11 reb., 7 ast.) led the charge for the Red Storm. 

In a surprising move, Pitino opted not to start sophomore guard Simeon Wilcher in favor of Utah transfer Deivon Smith, who proved to be the catalyst in a back-and-forth first half. 

Despite only standing at 6-foot-flat, the springy guard soared above the likes of Lobos Nelly Junior Joseph and Mustapha Amzil en route to a 15-point, five-rebound performance, the finest of his St. John’s tenure. 

But Smith wasn’t the only transfer to record his best game as a Johnnie. 

Kadary Richmond, after tallying somewhat pedestrian numbers through his first three games in Queens, displayed the all-around skills that landed him atop 247 Sports’ transfer portal rankings this past summer. 

He was simply everywhere. Richmond’s versatility often results in a stuffed stat sheet, and Sunday afternoon was no different. New Mexico conceded 14 points, eight boards, five assists and four steals to the 6-foot-6 guard, resulting in high praise from his head coach’s son. 

“[He’s] crafty with the ball [and has] big size for a guard,” Richard Pitino said. “[He’s] kind of a throwback player, but a really good player.”

Then there was the Red Storm’s co-captain, Zuby Ejiofor (13 pts., 10 reb. 2 blk.). 

Last season’s backup big man got off to a slow regular season start following his dominant showing in an exhibition match with Rutgers but broke out of the slump when St. John’s needed him the most. 

Tasked with an elite assignment in Junior Joseph, Ejiofor shined. 

He grabbed seven of the Red Storm’s 22 offensive rebounds, contributing to the University’s highest output since it recorded 27 against Seton Hall nearly 15 years ago.

“I think Zuby was a big catalyst,” Rick Pitino said. “We have so much respect for Nelly [Junior] Joseph. He causes a lot of problems for a lot of people, and Zuby can step away from the basket.”

Perimeter offense is a new addition to the junior big man’s game and forced New Mexico’s star to extend himself beyond the paint, opening up opportunities for easy cuts through the lane. 

There’s no question the win over the Lobos was the best performance St. John’s orchestrated on the young 2024-25 campaign. With the family reunion under its belt, the Red Storm shifts focus to even stiffer matchups. 

“Now we really go into the gauntlet with Baylor, Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia,” Rick Pitino said. 

St. John’s travels to the Bahamas to compete in the Baha Mar Hoops College Basketball Tourney as a matchup with No. 12 Baylor on Nov. 21.

This is the first of four crucial games that could define the Johnnies’ season, especially when taking into account that the NCAA Tournament selection committee places a premium on quality wins. 

To access the final box score from the St. John’s victory over New Mexico, click here.