NEW YORK (Interstat) — Saint John’s used a dominant second half to pull away from Iona for a 91-64 men’s basketball victory Saturday at Carnesecca Arena. The Red Storm led 36-26 at halftime before outscoring the Gaels 55-38 after intermission. Oziyah Sellers led Saint John’s with 19 points, while Ian Jackson added 14. CJ Anthony scored a game-high 20 points for Iona in the loss. Saint John’s improved to 6-3, while Iona fell to 8-4. A crowd of 15,803 watched the Red Storm’s defense, anchored by Zuby Ejiofor’s eight blocks, control the game.

NEW YORK (Interstat) — A dominant second-half performance fueled by stifling defense and efficient offense propelled Saint John’s to a decisive 91-64 victory over Iona in a non-conference men’s basketball game Saturday afternoon at a sold-out Carnesecca Arena. A crowd of 15,803 watched the Red Storm (6-3) outscore the Gaels 55-38 after halftime, turning a competitive 10-point halftime lead into a lopsided affair. The game’s pivotal stretch came early in the second half when Saint John’s unleashed a 17-4 run over a five-minute span, transforming a 43-38 lead into a commanding 60-42 advantage with 11:59 remaining. Iona (8-4) never recovered, as its offensive struggles were compounded by the Red Storm’s relentless defensive pressure. The statistical disparity told the story of Saint John’s comprehensive control. The Red Storm shot 51.7 percent from the field and a blistering 84 percent from the free-throw line, converting 21 of 25 attempts. Iona, conversely, managed just 38 percent shooting and hit only 5 of 19 from three-point range. A monumental difference came in shot-blocking, where Saint John’s swatted 10 Iona attempts, led by Zuby Ejiofor’s eight blocks, which anchored the interior defense. Ejiofor, a 6-foot-9 junior from Garland, Texas, was a defensive force, adding six points and two assists to his block total in 28 minutes. His presence fundamentally altered Iona’s ability to score in the paint, where the Gaels typically thrive. Offensively, Saint John’s showcased balanced scoring. Oziyah Sellers, a 6-foot-5 guard from Hayward, California, led the Red Storm with 19 points, including three three-pointers. Ian Jackson, a hometown product from the Bronx, contributed 14 points and three assists, while Bryce Hopkins of Oak Park, Illinois, added 13 points. Dillon Mitchell and Lefteris Liotopoulos each chipped in 10 points, with Liotopoulos scoring all of his in the second half. Iona was led by CJ Anthony, who scored a game-high 20 points. Lamin Sabally added 11 points for the Gaels, but the team’s offensive rating of 80.7 on 79 possessions underscored a afternoon of poor efficiency. Saint John’s offensive rating of 118.4 was a model of effectiveness. The first half was a back-and-forth affair with eight lead changes. Iona held an early 7-5 lead after a three-pointer from Anthony, but Saint John’s responded with a 10-0 run to seize control. The Gaels stayed within striking distance, trailing 36-26 at the break, but the Red Storm’s second-half surge erased any doubt. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for Iona, which had defeated Bryant and Sacred Heart in its previous outings. Saint John’s has now won two straight following its victory over Mississippi. Saint John’s will look to continue its momentum when it hosts DePaul on Tuesday night. Iona travels to face Vermont next Saturday.

Preview: Iona Gaels at Saint John’s Red Storm NEW YORK (Interstat) — A pair of local programs on strong early-season trajectories will meet Saturday when the Iona Gaels visit the Saint John’s Red Storm at Carnesecca Arena. The Gaels (8-3) enter with momentum, having won four of their last five, including a 69-63 home victory over Bryant on Wednesday. Iona’s attack is spearheaded by guard CJ Anthony, who is averaging 16.5 points and 6.4 assists per game. He is coming off an 18-point, 5-assist performance against Bryant and has scored in double figures in nine of Iona’s 11 contests. Saint John’s (5-3) has been idle since a defensive-minded 63-58 win over Mississippi on Dec. 6. The Red Storm’s identity is anchored by forward Zuby Ejiofor, a formidable rim protector averaging 13.4 points and a notable 3.4 blocks per game. He swatted away eight shots in the win over the Rebels. This matchup pits Iona’s high-octane offense, which averages 82.5 points per game, against a Saint John’s defense allowing just 68.6 points per contest. The Gaels have shown resilience in tight games, with a double-overtime road win at Oregon State among their victories. Saint John’s has faced a rigorous schedule, with its three losses coming against currently ranked opponents Alabama, Auburn and Iowa State by a combined 13 points. The Red Storm’s most impressive win was a 96-81 rout of Baylor on Nov. 25. Iona leads the all-time series 4-3, but the programs have not met since the 2002 NIT. For the Gaels, this game represents a key opportunity for a quality non-conference road win before Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play begins in January. For the Red Storm, it’s a final local tune-up before opening Big East Conference action next week. Tip-off is set for Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Queens.