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St. John’s Edges Xavier in Overtime Thriller at Madison Square Garden
By
Musketeer Madness,
2/10/2026
Xavier took No. 17 St. John’s to the wire Monday night at Madison Square Garden, but the Musketeers ultimately fell 87–82 in overtime in a Big East battle that featured 15 ties, 15 lead changes, and zero breathing room for either side.
The game was deadlocked at 42–42 at halftime and stayed that way through 40 minutes, with both teams scoring 36 in the second half. St. John’s finally gained separation in overtime by living at the free-throw line, outscoring Xavier 9–4 in the extra period and finishing 28-of-41 at the stripe for the game.
Xavier was led by Trey Carroll, who poured in a game-high 21 points on 9-of-21 shooting while adding eight rebounds and four assists in 35 minutes. Jovan Milicevic provided a strong lift with 13 points, and Filip Borovicanin chipped in 12 points and a team-high 10 rebounds, narrowly missing a double-double as Xavier dominated the glass early and finished with 40 rebounds.
The Musketeers’ interior attack was effective throughout, accounting for 44 points in the paint, and Xavier shot 44.7% from the field overall. However, outside shooting proved costly, as Xavier hit just 5-of-17 from three-point range and went 9-of-17 at the free-throw line.
St. John’s countered with balance and persistence. Zuby Ejiofor led the Red Storm with 25 points, while Bryce Hopkins added 19 points and nine rebounds. Despite shooting only 23.1% from three, St. John’s stayed within striking distance by forcing turnovers and pushing the pace, scoring 27 fast-break points.
Xavier had chances late in regulation but couldn’t convert in the closing moments, and the Red Storm capitalized in overtime by attacking the rim and drawing fouls. St. John’s attempted 21 free throws after halftime and overtime combined, compared to eight for Xavier.
The loss drops Xavier to 12–12 overall and 4–9 in Big East play, while St. John’s improves to 19–5 and 12–1 in conference action. Despite the result, the Musketeers showed resilience on a national stage, pushing one of the league’s top teams to overtime in front of 14,512 fans at Madison Square Garden.
Xavier returns home looking to turn competitive efforts into wins as the stretch run of the Big East season continues.
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