OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — In a commanding road performance that defied pregame expectations, the Saint John’s Red Storm delivered a decisive statement to the Big East Conference, overwhelming the Creighton Bluejays 90-73 before a crowd of 17,185 at CenturyLink Center on Saturday.

The most important part of the game was Saint John’s blistering start, which effectively decided the contest before the first media timeout. The Red Storm opened the game on a 15-0 run, silencing the home crowd and establishing a tone of defensive intensity and offensive efficiency that Creighton could never fully counter. Saint John’s hit its first three shots, including a three-pointer from Ian Jackson just 51 seconds in, while Creighton missed its first five attempts and committed two turnovers. This early onslaught gave Saint John’s a double-digit lead it would never relinquish, allowing the visitors to play with confidence and control throughout the evening.

Saint John’s, now 11-5 overall, executed its game plan with precision, particularly from beyond the arc. The Red Storm connected on 12 of 23 three-point attempts, a 52.2% clip that stretched the Creighton defense and created driving lanes. Defensively, they harassed the Bluejays into nine turnovers, converting those into 12 points, while committing only six turnovers themselves. The Red Storm’s offensive rating of 129.4 on 70 possessions underscored an exceptionally efficient night.

Oziyah Sellers led a balanced and potent Saint John’s attack with 16 points, six rebounds, and five assists in 33 minutes, orchestrating the offense and contributing to the early barrage. Lefteris Liotopoulos provided crucial scoring punch off the bench, draining five three-pointers for a team-high 17 points. The Red Storm’s interior presence was also key, with Zuby Ejiofor adding 12 points and six assists, Dillon Mitchell nearly securing a double-double with eight points and nine rebounds, and Bryce Hopkins and Ian Jackson each chipping in 12 points. The team’s seven steals and three blocks highlighted a disruptive defensive effort.

Creighton, which fell to 10-7, spent the entire game fighting uphill after the disastrous start. The Bluejays shot a respectable 46% from the field and 85% from the free-throw line but were undone by Saint John’s hot shooting and their own inability to generate consistent offense, managing only four assists as a team. Isaac Traudt led the Bluejays with 14 points, all in the first half, while Blake Harper added 12. Nik Graves contributed nine points, but Creighton’s backcourt struggled against Saint John’s pressure.

The Red Storm took a commanding 52-34 lead into halftime, having shot 60% from three-point range in the opening period. Every time Creighton showed signs of life, cutting the deficit to 12-5 early or 30-23 later, Saint John’s answered with a run, often fueled by Liotopoulos or Sellers from deep. A 10-2 spurt by the Red Storm late in the first half pushed their lead to 20, effectively sealing the game before the break.

The second half saw Saint John’s maintain its comfortable margin, never allowing Creighton within 15 points after the 16:56 mark. The Bluejays managed to outscore the Red Storm 39-38 after halftime but could never mount a serious threat, as Saint John’s continued to answer every mini-run with a timely basket.

The victory marked a significant road win for Saint John’s in conference play and continued their positive momentum following a win at Butler earlier in the week. For Creighton, the loss was a setback after a road win at Villanova, highlighting inconsistencies that have plagued their season.

Saint John’s next hosts Marquette on Tuesday. Creighton looks to regroup when it welcomes Georgetown, also on Tuesday.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Creighton had been projected with a 54.7% probability to win and was installed as a one-point pregame favorite. The total score of 163 points went over the betting over/under line of 154.5.