It was St. John’s 79, Marquette 63 and it was Zuby Ejiofor (career-high 33 points with nine rebounds) who put his team on his back and carried it to this showdown against Creighton. It was Zuby Ejiofor who seemed to play with a raging intensity and refused to let the Johnnies lose and cede the night or the Garden to Marquette.

The Red Storm’s record in Big East play is 19-2, and their record is 9-2 against non-conference opponents. St. John’s is 21-2 when it turns the ball over less than its opponents and averages 10.6 turnovers per game.