Welcome to the thread for Saturday’s St. John’s men’s basketball matchup against Iona. Please be respectful in the comment section and do not share any illegal streams of this weekend’s game.
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Game information
Who: No. 22 St. John’s Red Storm (5-3) vs. Iona Gaels (8-3, 1-1 MAAC)
When: Saturday, December 13, 2025, 12:00 p.m.
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
TV: TNT
Radio: ESPN New York 880 / 1050
Series History: St. John’s leads all-time series, 7-3. The Red Storm won their last meeting with the Gaels on December 17, 2017 by a final score of 69-59. All five Red Storm starters (Ponds, Simon, Clark, Ahmed, Owens) scored in double-figures on that day.
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KenPom Predicted Score: St. John’s to win 92-69 (98 percent chance of win)
What to watch for
Geriots of Fire – Former NBA assistant Dan Geriot has Iona playing inspired basketball in his first year coaching in New Rochelle. The Gaels have opened the season with an 8-3 record, including wins over Hofstra, Fordham, and Oregon State.
The new-look Gaels lean on their high pace and perimeter play. They rank 25th nationally in adjusted tempo according to KenPom, shoot 37.4% from three (48th-best nationally), and hold opponents to only 30.5% from deep (88th-best nationally).
Cincinnati transfer CJ Anthony leads in both points (16.0) and assists (6.1) per game, shooting 44.7% from the field and 40% from three. Other names to know are Incarnate Word transfer wing Lamin Sabally (12.9 points per game, 8.2 rebounds per game, 3.7 assists per game), Santa Clara transfer guard Kosy Akametu (10.3 points, 5.3 rebounds), and senior Toby Harris (11.5 points, 44.4% from three).
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Jackson (In The Starting) Five – Rick Pitino announced Ian Jackson as one of the Red Storm’s five starters for Saturday’s game against Iona, stating that the North Carolina transfer made improvements in assists, turnovers, and defense in practice.
While the numbers don’t reflect a playmaking jump by Jackson in-game, as he still averages one assist to 1.8 turnovers per game, St. John’s is better defensively with the Bronx native on the floor. The Red Storm have a 99.6 defensive rating with Jackson on the court compared to a 101.3 rating when he’s off it this season.
Stuck in the Mud – Yes, it’s a small sample size, but the offense is in a rut. In the last two games against Auburn and Ole Miss, St. John’s shot 36.4% from the field and only dished out 21 total assists to 33 turnovers. Saturday’s game against Iona stands as a get-right opportunity against an Iona team that allows opponents to shoot 53.1% from two-point range and record 17.0 assists per game (T-38th most in the country).
Prediction
Iona appears like one of the better mid-major teams in the country, but St. John’s will be the only high-major team they will face in the regular season. Their next-best opponent was Akron, who are ranked 54th in KenPom, and they rolled over the Gaels in a 21-point neutral-site victory.
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The Gaels’ three-point shooting could make this game interesting for a moment like William & Mary did in the first half of their matchup against the Red Storm, but Iona’s frailty on the glass (297th in offensive rebound percentage, 257th in defensive rebound percentage) jeopardizes any chance of controlling the game over 40 minutes.
St. John’s wins, 96-66.
