St. John’s No. 22 avoids defeat against New Mexico in clash of Pitino-coached teams | Sports

No. 22 St John’s remains undefeated with an 85-71 victory over New Mexico. RJ Luis Jr. led the way with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. The Red Storm had five players in double figures, with Deivon Smith adding 15 points and Kadary Richmond contributing 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and four steals. St. John’s outrebounded New Mexico 49-32 and scored 48 points in the paint. Despite a late rally by New Mexico, St John’s was able to secure the win and improve to 4-0 on the season. The victory sets the stage for a challenging matchup against No. 12 Baylor in the Bahamas. This win marks Rick Pitino’s third victory in four games coaching against his son, Richard Pitino, who coaches the Lobos. With solid performances from Luis, Smith, and Richmond, St John’s dominated the game and continued their strong start to the season. New Mexico was led by Nelly Joseph and Mustapha Amzil, who each scored 16 points, but their efforts were not enough to overcome the Red Storm. St John’s will look to build on this win as they prepare for their upcoming matchups.

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