STJOHN

DEPAUL

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Richmond, Smith lead the way as No. 10 St. John's pounds DePaul 82-58

AP
Feb 19, 2025

CHICAGO (AP) Kadary Richmond had 17 points and nine rebounds, Deivon Smith scored 18 and No. 10 St. John’s matched its highest Big East win total in 26 years, beating DePaul 82-58 on Wednesday night.

Sadiku Ibine Ayo scored a career-high 15. Zuby Ejiofor chipped in with 13 points and nine rebounds, helping St. John’s win for the 12th time in 13 games.

In their second season under Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino, the first-place Red Storm (23-4, 14-2) equaled their highest conference win total since the 1998-99 team went 14-4 in league play. They lead No. 16 Marquette and Creighton by 2 1/2 games.

Isaiah Rivera led DePaul with 16 points, but the last-place Blue Demons (11-16, 2-14) lost for the seventh time in eight games.

St. John's: The Red Storm got an easy win even though star RJ Luis Jr. missed the game because of a pulled groin.

DePaul: Chris Holtmann inherited a big job when he was hired to rebuild a once-proud program. Games like this show just how much work he has to do.

It was tied at 20 when Ayo and Simeon Wilcher hit back-to-back 3s, and the Red Storm took over from there. They scored 11 straight as part of a 16-2 run, and they added to their lead after Rivera hit a 3 for DePaul with just under two minutes remaining. Ayo answered with one of his own, and Smith scored on a tip-in for St. John’s with 23 seconds left.

St. John's made nine 3-pointers, with Smith and Ayo each nailing three.

The Red Storm will try to beat UConn for the second time in a little more than two weeks when they host the Huskies on Sunday. DePaul has a home game against Butler on Saturday.

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1st Half
SJU
Red Storm
41
DEP
Blue Demons
25

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Blue Demons gains possession)
19:47		Layden Blocker misses three point jump shot
19:45		Kadary Richmond defensive rebound
19:25		Kadary Richmond misses two point pullup jump shot
19:23		Layden Blocker defensive rebound
19:19		David Thomas turnover (traveling)
19:06	+2	Sadiku Ibine Ayo makes two point pullup jump shot	2-0
18:48		Layden Blocker misses three point jump shot
18:46		Zuby Ejiofor defensive rebound
18:26		Deivon Smith misses two point pullup jump shot
18:24		Layden Blocker defensive rebound
18:05		Zuby Ejiofor blocks JJ Traynor's two point jump shot
18:03		Kadary Richmond defensive rebound
18:01		Zuby Ejiofor turnover (lost ball)
17:37	+2	Isaiah Rivera makes two point layup (CJ Gunn assists)	2-2
17:15		Deivon Smith misses three point jump shot
17:13		CJ Gunn defensive rebound
16:42		Zuby Ejiofor blocks Layden Blocker's two point driving layup
16:40		Sadiku Ibine Ayo defensive rebound
16:38		Layden Blocker personal foul
16:28	+2	Deivon Smith makes two point driving layup	4-2
16:10	+2	CJ Gunn makes two point driving layup (JJ Traynor assists)	4-4
15:59		Deivon Smith turnover (lost ball) (Layden Blocker steals)
15:54		Aaron Scott shooting foul (CJ Gunn draws the foul)
15:54		TV timeout
15:54	+1	CJ Gunn makes regular free throw 1 of 2	4-5
15:54	+1	CJ Gunn makes regular free throw 2 of 2	4-6
15:45		CJ Gunn personal foul
15:32		Aaron Scott misses two point pullup jump shot
15:30		CJ Gunn defensive rebound
15:04		Isaiah Rivera misses two point stepback jump shot
15:02		Red Storm defensive rebound
14:46	+3	Aaron Scott makes three point jump shot (Deivon Smith assists)	7-6
14:28	+2	CJ Gunn makes two point cutting layup (Layden Blocker assists)	7-8
14:08	+3	Sadiku Ibine Ayo makes three point jump shot (Kadary Richmond assists)	10-8
13:48	+2	JJ Traynor makes two point cutting dunk (Layden Blocker assists)	10-10
13:35		Zuby Ejiofor misses three point jump shot
13:33		JJ Traynor defensive rebound
13:09		CJ Gunn misses three point jump shot
13:07		Red Storm defensive rebound
12:58		JJ Traynor personal foul
12:55		Simeon Wilcher misses two point pullup jump shot
12:53		Kadary Richmond offensive rebound
12:51		Kadary Richmond misses two point putback layup
12:49		Troy D'Amico defensive rebound
12:31		Troy D'Amico turnover (lost ball) (Sadiku Ibine Ayo steals)
12:27	+2	Simeon Wilcher makes two point driving layup	12-10
11:59	+2	David Thomas makes two point driving layup	12-12
11:39	+2	Kadary Richmond makes two point driving layup (Zuby Ejiofor assists)	14-12
11:19		JJ Traynor turnover (bad pass) (Aaron Scott steals)
11:05	+2	Zuby Ejiofor makes two point dunk (Kadary Richmond assists)	16-12
10:45		Troy D'Amico misses three point jump shot
10:43		Kadary Richmond defensive rebound
10:41	+2	Sadiku Ibine Ayo makes two point dunk (Kadary Richmond assists)	18-12
10:41		Blue Demons 30 second timeout
10:41		TV timeout
10:18		Jacob Meyer misses two point jump shot
10:16		CJ Gunn offensive rebound
10:14		CJ Gunn misses two point putback layup
10:12		Simeon Wilcher defensive rebound
9:50		Kadary Richmond misses two point pullup jump shot
9:48		Aaron Scott offensive rebound
9:44		Aaron Scott turnover (back court violation)
9:42		Théo Pierre-Justin turnover (lost ball) (Zuby Ejiofor steals)
9:40	+2	Zuby Ejiofor makes two point layup	20-12
9:24	+3	Isaiah Rivera makes three point jump shot (Layden Blocker assists)	20-15
9:07		Deivon Smith misses two point jump shot
9:05		Jacob Meyer defensive rebound
8:58	+3	Isaiah Rivera makes three point jump shot (Jacob Meyer assists)	20-18
8:40		Simeon Wilcher turnover (lost ball) (Jacob Meyer steals)
8:36		Simeon Wilcher shooting foul (Jacob Meyer draws the foul)
8:36	+1	Jacob Meyer makes regular free throw 1 of 2	20-19
8:36	+1	Jacob Meyer makes regular free throw 2 of 2	20-20
8:16	+3	Sadiku Ibine Ayo makes three point jump shot (Deivon Smith assists)	23-20
7:52		Layden Blocker misses two point driving layup
7:50		Ruben Prey defensive rebound
7:41	+3	Simeon Wilcher makes three point jump shot (Ruben Prey assists)	26-20
7:16		Jacob Meyer misses three point jump shot
7:14		Sadiku Ibine Ayo defensive rebound
7:05		Sadiku Ibine Ayo misses two point driving layup
7:03		Isaiah Rivera defensive rebound
6:50		Isaiah Rivera misses three point jump shot
6:48		Jacob Meyer offensive rebound
6:26		Isaiah Rivera misses three point jump shot
6:26		Blue Demons turnover (shot clock violation)
6:26		TV timeout
6:07	+2	Deivon Smith makes two point pullup jump shot (Simeon Wilcher assists)	28-20
5:31		Troy D'Amico misses two point turnaround jump shot
5:29		Deivon Smith defensive rebound
5:18	+3	Simeon Wilcher makes three point jump shot (Deivon Smith assists)	31-20
4:53		JJ Traynor turnover (bad pass) (Simeon Wilcher steals)
4:50		Simeon Wilcher misses two point driving layup
4:48		JJ Traynor defensive rebound
4:38		Simeon Wilcher personal foul
4:24		Aaron Scott shooting foul (Isaiah Rivera draws the foul)
4:24	+1	Isaiah Rivera makes regular free throw 1 of 2	31-21
4:24	+1	Isaiah Rivera makes regular free throw 2 of 2	31-22
4:08		Zuby Ejiofor misses two point hook shot
4:06		Zuby Ejiofor offensive rebound
4:03		Ruben Prey misses three point jump shot
4:01		CJ Gunn defensive rebound
3:38		CJ Gunn turnover (bad pass) (Ruben Prey steals)
3:33	+3	Deivon Smith makes three point jump shot (Kadary Richmond assists)	34-22
3:15		CJ Gunn misses three point jump shot
3:13		Sadiku Ibine Ayo defensive rebound
3:08		JJ Traynor blocks Zuby Ejiofor's two point layup
3:06		CJ Gunn defensive rebound
3:01		CJ Gunn turnover (bad pass)
3:01		TV timeout
2:37		Deivon Smith misses three point jump shot
2:35		Ruben Prey offensive rebound
2:32		Sadiku Ibine Ayo misses three point jump shot
2:31		Blue Demons defensive rebound
2:23		Layden Blocker turnover (bad pass)
2:02	+2	Zuby Ejiofor makes two point dunk (Deivon Smith assists)	36-22
1:51	+3	Isaiah Rivera makes three point jump shot (CJ Gunn assists)	36-25
1:25	+3	Sadiku Ibine Ayo makes three point jump shot (Kadary Richmond assists)	39-25
1:04		Sadiku Ibine Ayo personal foul
1:03		CJ Gunn turnover (out of bounds)
1:00		Deivon Smith turnover (lost ball) (Isaiah Rivera steals)
0:44		Deivon Smith personal foul
0:42		Chris Riddle turnover (out of bounds)
0:42		Red Storm 30 second timeout
0:29		Deivon Smith misses two point layup
0:27		Ruben Prey offensive rebound
0:25		Ruben Prey misses two point tip layup
0:23		Deivon Smith offensive rebound
0:23	+2	Deivon Smith makes two point tip layup	41-25
0:02		Isaiah Rivera misses two point stepback jump shot
0:00		Blue Demons offensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
SJU
Red Storm
41
DEP
Blue Demons
33

Time		Play	Score
19:47		Zuby Ejiofor turnover (lost ball) (Layden Blocker steals)
19:30		JJ Traynor misses two point jump shot
19:28		Sadiku Ibine Ayo defensive rebound
19:19	+2	Kadary Richmond makes two point jump shot	43-25
18:51		David Thomas turnover (lost ball) (Deivon Smith steals)
18:43		Isaiah Rivera blocks Deivon Smith's two point jump shot
18:41		Isaiah Rivera defensive rebound
18:34	+3	David Thomas makes three point jump shot (Isaiah Rivera assists)	43-28
18:34		Aaron Scott shooting foul (David Thomas draws the foul)
18:34	+1	David Thomas makes regular free throw 1 of 1	43-29
18:08		Deivon Smith misses two point jump shot
18:06		Zuby Ejiofor offensive rebound
18:05	+2	Zuby Ejiofor makes two point layup	45-29
17:56		Kadary Richmond misses two point layup
17:54		Kadary Richmond offensive rebound
17:40		CJ Gunn misses three point jump shot
17:38		Deivon Smith defensive rebound
17:34	+2	Kadary Richmond makes two point jump shot	47-29
17:34		CJ Gunn shooting foul (Kadary Richmond draws the foul)
17:34	+1	Kadary Richmond makes regular free throw 1 of 1	48-29
17:07		Deivon Smith blocks Isaiah Rivera's two point jump shot
17:05		Zuby Ejiofor defensive rebound
16:59	+2	Kadary Richmond makes two point layup (Deivon Smith assists)	50-29
16:31	+3	Layden Blocker makes three point jump shot	50-32
16:02		Chris Riddle shooting foul (Zuby Ejiofor draws the foul)
16:02	+1	Zuby Ejiofor makes regular free throw 1 of 2	51-32
16:02	+1	Zuby Ejiofor makes regular free throw 2 of 2	52-32
15:43		Layden Blocker misses three point jump shot
15:41		Kadary Richmond defensive rebound
15:32		Sadiku Ibine Ayo misses two point jump shot
15:30		Chris Riddle defensive rebound
15:19		Ruben Prey blocks David Thomas's two point layup
15:17		Kadary Richmond defensive rebound
15:12		Sadiku Ibine Ayo misses three point jump shot
15:10		Ruben Prey offensive rebound
15:10		Ruben Prey misses two point layup
15:08		Layden Blocker defensive rebound
15:03	+3	Troy D'Amico makes three point jump shot (Layden Blocker assists)	52-35
14:38	+2	Kadary Richmond makes two point layup (Sadiku Ibine Ayo assists)	54-35
14:04		Isaiah Rivera misses three point jump shot
14:03		Red Storm defensive rebound
14:03		TV timeout
13:52		Théo Pierre-Justin shooting foul (Zuby Ejiofor draws the foul)
13:52		Zuby Ejiofor misses regular free throw 1 of 2
13:52	+1	Zuby Ejiofor makes regular free throw 2 of 2	55-35
13:26	+3	Troy D'Amico makes three point jump shot (CJ Gunn assists)	55-38
13:01		Kadary Richmond misses two point jump shot
12:59		Zuby Ejiofor offensive rebound
12:54	+3	Deivon Smith makes three point jump shot (Zuby Ejiofor assists)	58-38
12:39		Jacob Meyer misses three point jump shot
12:37		Zuby Ejiofor defensive rebound
12:19		Zuby Ejiofor turnover (lost ball) (Jacob Meyer steals)
12:12		CJ Gunn turnover (offensive goaltending)
12:01		Aaron Scott misses three point jump shot
11:59		Layden Blocker defensive rebound
11:44		Jacob Meyer misses two point layup
11:42		CJ Gunn offensive rebound
11:37	+2	CJ Gunn makes two point layup	58-40
11:25		Lefteris Liotopoulos turnover (lost ball) (CJ Gunn steals)
11:17		Théo Pierre-Justin misses three point jump shot
11:15		CJ Gunn offensive rebound
11:05		CJ Gunn misses three point jump shot
11:03		Lefteris Liotopoulos defensive rebound
10:45	+3	Deivon Smith makes three point jump shot	61-40
10:44		Jacob Meyer shooting foul (Deivon Smith draws the foul)
10:44		TV timeout
10:44	+1	Deivon Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 1	62-40
10:15		CJ Gunn turnover (bad pass) (Aaron Scott steals)
10:07		Kadary Richmond misses two point layup
10:05		Kadary Richmond offensive rebound
10:05	+2	Kadary Richmond makes two point layup	64-40
9:41	+3	Troy D'Amico makes three point jump shot (JJ Traynor assists)	64-43
9:32		Simeon Wilcher misses three point jump shot
9:30		Lefteris Liotopoulos offensive rebound
9:29	+2	Lefteris Liotopoulos makes two point jump shot	66-43
9:16		CJ Gunn misses two point jump shot
9:14		Kadary Richmond defensive rebound
9:06		Aaron Scott misses three point jump shot
9:04		Isaiah Rivera defensive rebound
8:55		Troy D'Amico misses three point jump shot
8:53		CJ Gunn offensive rebound
8:50	+2	CJ Gunn makes two point jump shot	66-45
8:28	+2	Kadary Richmond makes two point jump shot	68-45
8:06		JJ Traynor misses two point hook shot
8:04		Zuby Ejiofor defensive rebound
7:57		Troy D'Amico personal foul
7:57		TV timeout
7:45		Lefteris Liotopoulos misses three point jump shot
7:43		Ruben Prey offensive rebound
7:43		Ruben Prey misses two point layup
7:41		Red Storm offensive rebound
7:41		Layden Blocker personal foul
7:25		Ruben Prey misses two point hook shot
7:23		Troy D'Amico defensive rebound
7:05		Troy D'Amico misses three point jump shot
7:03		Aaron Scott defensive rebound
6:55	+2	Aaron Scott makes two point hook shot	70-45
6:36		Aaron Scott personal foul
6:28		Troy D'Amico misses three point jump shot
6:26		Troy D'Amico offensive rebound
6:25		Simeon Wilcher shooting foul (Troy D'Amico draws the foul)
6:25	+1	Troy D'Amico makes regular free throw 1 of 2	70-46
6:25	+1	Troy D'Amico makes regular free throw 2 of 2	70-47
6:05	+2	Ruben Prey makes two point jump shot (Sadiku Ibine Ayo assists)	72-47
5:44		CJ Gunn misses two point jump shot
5:42		Simeon Wilcher defensive rebound
5:36		Simeon Wilcher turnover (bad pass) (Théo Pierre-Justin steals)
5:28	+3	Isaiah Rivera makes three point jump shot (Jacob Meyer assists)	72-50
5:27		Blue Demons 30 second timeout
5:05	+2	Kadary Richmond makes two point jump shot	74-50
4:42		Isaiah Rivera misses two point jump shot
4:40		Zuby Ejiofor defensive rebound
4:36		Théo Pierre-Justin personal foul (Zuby Ejiofor draws the foul)
4:36	+1	Zuby Ejiofor makes regular free throw 1 of 2	75-50
4:36	+1	Zuby Ejiofor makes regular free throw 2 of 2	76-50
4:21		Théo Pierre-Justin turnover (lost ball) (Kadary Richmond steals)
4:04		Deivon Smith misses two point jump shot
4:02		CJ Gunn defensive rebound
3:58		Zuby Ejiofor personal foul
3:58		TV timeout
3:55		Aaron Scott shooting foul (CJ Gunn draws the foul)
3:55	+1	CJ Gunn makes regular free throw 1 of 2	76-51
3:55	+1	CJ Gunn makes regular free throw 2 of 2	76-52
3:41		Deivon Smith misses two point jump shot
3:39		Sadiku Ibine Ayo offensive rebound
3:27		Deivon Smith misses two point layup
3:25		CJ Gunn defensive rebound
3:19	+3	Chris Riddle makes three point jump shot (CJ Gunn assists)	76-55
2:57	+2	Deivon Smith makes two point layup (Zuby Ejiofor assists)	78-55
2:42		CJ Gunn turnover (lost ball) (Deivon Smith steals)
2:37		Lefteris Liotopoulos turnover (lost ball) (Chris Riddle steals)
2:21		Jacob Meyer misses three point jump shot
2:19		Ruben Prey defensive rebound
2:10		Lefteris Liotopoulos misses three point jump shot
2:08		Ruben Prey offensive rebound
2:03	+2	Ruben Prey makes two point layup	80-55
1:48		Chris Riddle misses three point jump shot
1:46		Zuby Ejiofor defensive rebound
1:28		Théo Pierre-Justin personal foul (Zuby Ejiofor draws the foul)
1:28		Zuby Ejiofor misses regular free throw 1 of 1
1:28		Chris Riddle defensive rebound
1:19		David Thomas misses three point jump shot
1:17		Deivon Smith defensive rebound
1:10		Jacob Meyer personal foul (Sadiku Ibine Ayo draws the foul)
1:10	+1	Sadiku Ibine Ayo makes regular free throw 1 of 2	81-55
1:10	+1	Sadiku Ibine Ayo makes regular free throw 2 of 2	82-55
0:58	+2	Jacob Meyer makes two point layup	82-57
0:58		Sadiku Ibine Ayo shooting foul (Jacob Meyer draws the foul)
0:58	+1	Jacob Meyer makes regular free throw 1 of 1	82-58
0:42		Ruben Prey misses three point jump shot
0:40		David Thomas defensive rebound
0:23		Layden Blocker misses two point layup
0:21		Ruben Prey defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Ruben Prey defensive rebound