NCAAB · Final

St. John's Edges Xavier in High-Scoring Thriller

Saturday, January 24, 2026, 1:30 PM ET · Cintas Center

St. John's Red Storm 88, Xavier Musketeers 83, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.

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Quick answers

Who won St. John's Red Storm vs Xavier Musketeers?

St. John's Red Storm beat Xavier Musketeers 88-83 at Cintas Center on January 24, 2026.

Who was favored in St. John's Red Storm vs Xavier Musketeers?

St. John's Red Storm were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -440 (about 81% implied). The favorite won.

In a tightly contested matchup, the St. John's Red Storm triumphed over the Xavier Musketeers with a final score of 88-83 at the Cintas Center. This victory marked St. John's fifth consecutive win, showcasing their impressive form as they continue to climb the standings in the NCAAB league. The Red Storm's record now stands at 16-5, while Xavier falls to 11-10.

St. John's has been in excellent form recently, boasting a record of 8-2 in their last ten games, with an average of 81.3 points scored per game and 71.3 points allowed. Their recent streak has been highlighted by victories over notable opponents, including a 65-60 win against Seton Hall and an 86-79 win against Villanova. In contrast, Xavier's recent performance has been less consistent, with a 5-5 record in their last ten games and an average of 77.9 points scored but a concerning 80.1 points allowed.

The game featured a back-and-forth battle, with both teams trading leads throughout. Xavier had a solid home record of 4-2 in their last six games, while St. John's maintained a strong away record of 4-1 in their last five. This matchup was particularly important for Xavier, as they had previously lost both encounters against St. John's in the 2025 season, including a 72-82 defeat at home.

In terms of injuries, the block does not provide specific details about player absences for either team, which could have influenced their performance. However, both teams entered the game relatively healthy, allowing them to field their best lineups.

The betting market reflected St. John's status as the favorite, with DraftKings setting the odds at SJU -8.5, indicating confidence in their ability to secure a win. The total for the game was set at 159.5, suggesting expectations for a high-scoring affair, which ultimately proved accurate given the final score.

Conditions for the game were typical for a midseason college basketball matchup, with both teams looking to assert themselves in conference play. Fans were treated to a thrilling atmosphere at the Cintas Center, where the energy was palpable as the teams battled for supremacy.

Viewers were particularly engaged by the late-game heroics, including key scoring plays that shifted momentum. Notable moments included Dylan Darling's driving layup that put St. John's ahead, followed by Filip Borovicanin's clutch jump shot that tied the game at 81. The game ultimately concluded with free throws from Bryce Hopkins, sealing the victory for St. John's.

Overall, this matchup highlighted the competitive nature of college basketball, with both teams showcasing their strengths and weaknesses. St. John's continues to build momentum, while Xavier will need to regroup and address their defensive issues as the season progresses.

Odds

Book	Spread	Total	Moneyline
DraftKings	SJU -8.5	159.5 o -115 / u -105	St. John's Red Storm -440 · Xavier Musketeers +340

What these prices pay on $100 · What these numbers mean

Leaders

PointsTre Carroll31Xavier Musketeers
AssistsFilip Borovicanin6Xavier Musketeers
ReboundsFilip Borovicanin10Xavier Musketeers
PointsBryce Hopkins18St. John's Red Storm
AssistsDillon Mitchell6St. John's Red Storm
ReboundsZuby Ejiofor11St. John's Red Storm

Recent form

Xavier Musketeers

Last 10: 5-5Streak L177.9 scored · 80.1 allowed per game4-2 at home

L93-94at Creighton BluejaysJan 22
W89-75vs Butler BulldogsJan 14
W97-84vs Providence FriarsJan 10
L65-66at Marquette Golden EaglesJan 8
L77-86at DePaul Blue DemonsJan 3
L67-90vs UConn HuskiesDec 31
W80-77at Georgetown HoyasDec 21
L57-98vs Creighton BluejaysDec 17
W75-57vs Missouri State BearsDec 13
W79-74vs Cincinnati BearcatsDec 6

St. John's Red Storm

Last 10: 8-2Streak W581.3 scored · 71.3 allowed per game4-1 away

W65-60vs Seton Hall PiratesJan 21
W86-79at Villanova WildcatsJan 18
W92-68vs Marquette Golden EaglesJan 13
W90-73at Creighton BluejaysJan 10
W84-70at Butler BulldogsJan 7
L71-77vs Providence FriarsJan 3
W95-83at Georgetown HoyasJan 1
W85-59vs Harvard CrimsonDec 23
L66-78at Kentucky WildcatsDec 20
W79-66vs DePaul Blue DemonsDec 17

Standings

Team	Overall	Games behind	In conference
St. John's	30-7	-	18-2
UConn	34-6	1	17-3
Villanova	24-9	3	15-5
Seton Hall	21-12	8	10-10
Creighton	16-18	9	9-11
DePaul	16-16	10	8-12
Butler	16-16	11	7-13
Providence	15-18	11	7-13
Marquette	12-20	11	7-13
Georgetown	16-18	12	6-14
Xavier	15-18	12	6-14

Box score

Stat	St. John's Red Storm	Xavier Musketeers
Field goals	33-68	29-61
Field goal %	49	48
Three-pointers	7-18	9-21
Three-point %	39	43
Free throws	15-23	16-19
Free throw %	65	84
Rebounds	39	32
Offensive rebounds	13	5
Defensive rebounds	26	27
Assists	17	20
Steals	8	7
Blocks	3	8
Turnovers	10	12
Team turnovers	1	0
Technical fouls	0	0
Technical fouls, total	0	0
Flagrant fouls	0	0
Points off turnovers	16	6
Fast-break points	14	16
Points in the paint	38	28
Fouls	17	21
Largest lead	9	16
Lead changes	6	6
Time in front	34	59

How the scoring went

2nd Half47-56Tre Carroll makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half49-56Zuby Ejiofor makes layup
2nd Half51-56Zuby Ejiofor makes driving layup (Ian Jackson assists)
2nd Half52-56Zuby Ejiofor makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Half53-56Zuby Ejiofor makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half55-56Dillon Mitchell makes 0-foot dunk
2nd Half55-58Tre Carroll makes 16-foot floating jump shot (Filip Borovicanin assists)
2nd Half55-60Tre Carroll makes driving layup (Isaiah Walker assists)
2nd Half55-63Tre Carroll makes 26-foot three point jumper (Malik Messina-Moore assists)
2nd Half57-63Bryce Hopkins makes 0-foot tip in layup
2nd Half59-63Dillon Mitchell makes layup (Bryce Hopkins assists)
2nd Half59-65Tre Carroll makes 11-foot turnaround jump shot
2nd Half62-65Bryce Hopkins makes 25-foot three point jumper (Dylan Darling assists)
2nd Half62-66Tre Carroll makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half62-67Tre Carroll makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half65-67Dylan Darling makes 23-foot three point jumper (Zuby Ejiofor assists)
2nd Half67-67Dillon Mitchell makes driving layup (Dylan Darling assists)
2nd Half69-67Bryce Hopkins makes 5-foot jumper
2nd Half69-68All Wright makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half69-69All Wright makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half72-69Dylan Darling makes 24-foot three point jumper
2nd Half72-70Tre Carroll makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half74-70Oziyah Sellers makes layup (Zuby Ejiofor assists)
2nd Half75-70Oziyah Sellers makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Half75-72Tre Carroll makes driving layup
2nd Half75-74Filip Borovicanin makes driving layup
2nd Half76-74Bryce Hopkins makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half77-74Zuby Ejiofor makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half78-74Oziyah Sellers makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half79-74Oziyah Sellers makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half79-77Tre Carroll makes 24-foot three point jumper
2nd Half79-79Malik Messina-Moore makes driving layup (Tre Carroll assists)
2nd Half81-79Dylan Darling makes driving layup
2nd Half81-81Filip Borovicanin makes 9-foot pullup jump shot (Malik Messina-Moore assists)
2nd Half81-82Filip Borovicanin makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Half84-82Dylan Darling makes 23-foot three point jumper
2nd Half86-82Ruben Prey makes 1-foot tip in layup
2nd Half86-83Malik Messina-Moore makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half87-83Bryce Hopkins makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half88-83Bryce Hopkins makes free throw 2 of 2