NEW YORK (Interstat) — Saint John’s defeated Seton Hall 78-68 in a Big East Conference men’s basketball game Friday night at Madison Square Garden. The Red Storm led 38-30 at halftime and maintained their advantage throughout the second half before a crowd of 19,812. The victory improved Saint John’s season record to 27-6, while Seton Hall fell to 21-12. It was the Red Storm’s third win this season over the Pirates, having also won the two previous regular-season meetings. The total score went over the projected over/under line.

NEW YORK (Interstat) — In a pivotal Big East Conference clash that solidified one team’s championship pedigree and exposed the other’s offensive limitations, No. 6 seed Seton Hall fell to top-seeded Saint John’s 78-68 in the conference tournament semifinals before a sold-out crowd of 19,812 at Madison Square Garden on Friday night. The victory, powered by a dominant interior performance from forward Zuby Ejiofor and a relentless attack on the basket, propelled the Red Storm to 27-6 overall and into the tournament championship game. The Pirates, who split the regular-season series with Saint John’s, saw their season record dip to 21-12, their NCAA Tournament hopes now likely resting in the hands of the selection committee. The game’s decisive dynamic was established early and never truly wavered. Saint John’s, operating with surgical efficiency, exploited its size and athletic advantage to consistently generate high-percentage shots. The Red Storm shot a blistering 52.1 percent from the field, largely on the strength of 46 points in the paint, and paraded to the free-throw line 30 times, converting 24. In stark contrast, Seton Hall labored through a 41.5 percent shooting night, including a frigid 5-of-20 from three-point range, and managed only 12 free-throw attempts. The most important sequence of the contest arrived not as a single play, but as a sustained demonstration of control by Saint John’s to open the second half. Leading 38-30 at the break, the Red Storm extinguished any notion of a Pirate comeback with a commanding 14-4 run over the first five minutes of the second period. The surge was emblematic of the entire game: Ejiofor scored inside, Dylan Darling connected from deep, and the defense forced Seton Hall into rushed and contested attempts. When Bryce Hopkins finished a fast-break dunk with 16:52 remaining, Saint John’s led 52-34, forcing a frantic Seton Hall timeout. The Pirates would never cut the deficit to single digits again, as the Red Storm’s lead ballooned to as many as 21 points. Ejiofor, a 6-foot-9, 245-pound force from Garland, Texas, was the game’s central figure. In 33 minutes, he scored a game-high 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting, added two blocks, and was the primary catalyst of Saint John’s overwhelming 40-26 advantage in points in the paint. His early activity set the tone, scoring eight of his team’s first ten points and establishing a physical presence the Pirates could not counter. He was ably supported by a balanced Red Storm attack. Dillon Mitchell of Tampa, Florida, provided 13 points, five assists, and relentless energy on both ends. Bryce Hopkins of Oak Park, Illinois, also scored 13, while freshman guard Joson Sanon of Fall River, Massachusetts, provided a critical spark off the bench with 15 points, including three three-pointers. Seton Hall’s effort was led by the backcourt duo of Adam Clark and Jacob Dar. Clark, a 5-foot-10 guard from Philadelphia, fought through a difficult shooting night to finish with 17 points and 11 assists, orchestrating what offense the Pirates could muster. Dar, a 6-foot-7 wing from Omaha, Nebraska, added 13 points off the bench. Najai Hines, a 6-foot-10 center from Plainfield, New Jersey, contributed 10 points and three blocks, but the Pirates’ interior defense was consistently compromised by Saint John’s ball movement and driving guards. The statistical disparity told the story of Saint John’s command. The Red Storm posted an offensive rating of 116.0, scoring 78 points on just 67 possessions, a model of efficiency. Seton Hall’s rating was a subpar 97.6. While the teams were even in assists (9-9), steals (9-9), and turnovers (Seton Hall 11, Saint John’s 13), the Red Storm’s superior shot-making and ability to draw fouls—they attempted 18 more free throws—proved insurmountable. Defensively, Saint John’s effectively walled off the paint and challenged every Seton Hall perimeter look, holding the Pirates to just 0.97 points per possession. The Pirates’ reliance on Clark to create against a set defense resulted in a high volume of difficult, late-clock attempts. The result continued a pattern for Saint John’s, which has now defeated Seton Hall in three meetings this season by an average of nine points. It also marked a significant step toward a Big East tournament title for the Red Storm, who have positioned themselves as a likely high seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. For Seton Hall, the loss represents a missed opportunity to secure a definitive NCAA bid. Despite a valiant effort from Clark and moments of resistance, the Pirates were ultimately overwhelmed by a superior opponent executing at a peak level on the league’s grandest stage. Their fate will now be decided on Selection Sunday, with this performance against a top-tier team serving as a final, imperfect resume entry.

Preview: Saint John’s Set to Face Seton Hall in Big East Semifinal NEW YORK (Interstat) — A spot in the Big East championship game will be on the line Friday night when the second-seeded Saint John’s Red Storm face the sixth-seeded Seton Hall Pirates in a conference tournament semifinal at Madison Square Garden. The Red Storm (26-6), ranked in the latest AP Top 25, enter as heavy favorites after winning both regular-season meetings. They defeated the Pirates 65-60 at home on Jan. 20 and earned a 72-65 victory in Newark just last Friday. Saint John’s has won 10 of its last 11 games, with the lone blemish a 32-point road loss to then-Connecticut. Saint John’s is powered by forward Zuby Ejiofor, who has been dominant. He scored 21 points in each of the last two games, including the win over Seton Hall, and is averaging 18.3 points over his last six contests. His interior scoring and shot-blocking anchor the Red Storm. Seton Hall (21-11), squarely on the NCAA tournament bubble, kept its at-large hopes alive with a 72-61 quarterfinal win over Creighton on Thursday. The Pirates are likely in need of another signature victory to secure a bid. They will rely on guard Adam Clark, who posted 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists against the Bluejays. In the loss to Saint John’s last week, Clark scored 15 points. His backcourt playmaking will be critical against Saint John’s pressure. The Pirates have shown resilience, with five of their 11 losses coming by six points or fewer, including a four-point defeat at UConn. They will need to control the tempo and limit Ejiofor’s touches to reverse their fortunes against the Red Storm. The winner will advance to Saturday’s championship game to face the winner of Thursday’s late semifinal between top-seeded Connecticut and fifth-seeded Creighton. Tip-off is scheduled for approximately 9:30 p.m. EDT. The over/under is 132 points.