RJ Luis Jr. scored 24 points to lead No. 7 St. John’s to a 76-70 win over Butler on Wednesday in Indianapolis, clinching at least a share of the Big East regular-season title for the first time since 1992.
Luis shot 9-for-16 from the field for St. John’s (25-4, 16-2 Big East). Zuby Ejiofor added 12 points and Kadary Richmond contributed 13 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Jahmyl Telfort led Butler (13-15, 6-11) with 13 points and seven rebounds. Pierre Brooks II and Boden Kapke each added 12 points. Brooks scored all of his points in the first half.
The Red Storm owned a slim lead for much of the first half, although at one point they made 6-of-8 field goals to take a 34-26 advantage.
St. John’s led by as much as 10 in the half, but Butler cut the deficit to 38-32 at the break.
Luis matched Brooks with 12 points at the break. Butler stayed in it despite shooting just 3-for-16 from beyond the arc in the half.
Midway through the second, the Bulldogs went on a 7-0 run to tie the game at 51 with just over 11 minutes to play. They later took the lead on a three-point play by Kolby King.
Butler was within two with 1:29 to go, but Ejiofor put St. John’s ahead by four with a big bucket in the paint. The Red Storm then secured the win with defense and free throws.
St. John’s extended its winning streak over Butler to five games.
St. John’s can clinch its first outright Big East championship since 1985 with a victory over Seton Hall on Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
–Field Level Media
