St. John's Triumphs Over Xavier 81-66 in Big East Opener

Joel Soriano shines with 18 points, 14 rebounds, and six blocks, leading St. John's to victory in Rick Pitino's Big East coaching return.

St. John's defeated Xavier 81-66 in the Big East Conference opener for both teams, with Joel Soriano leading the charge with 18 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, and six blocks.
Nahiem Alleyne contributed 15 points for St. John's, while Chris Ledlum added 13 points, six rebounds, and three steals.
Desmond Claude was the top scorer for Xavier with 21 points and 12 rebounds, followed by Quincy Olivari with 13 points.
St. John's never trailed in the game, with a strong start marked by a game-opening 8-0 run.
The victory marked Rick Pitino's first game as a Big East coach since he led Louisville to a national championship in 2013.