No. 13/14 St. John’s hosts Iona on Sunday for its Madison Square Garden season debut, with the Red Storm looking to extend its strong home-court run and remain unbeaten. St. John’s opened the season with a 78-63 win over Monmouth; Iona arrives 2-0 after a narrow opener and a 23-point win.

By the Numbers
  • Tipoff: noon ET Sunday; the game will air on Peacock and 880 AM ESPN New York.
  • St. John’s is 25-2 at Madison Square Garden since the start of the 2024-25 season.
  • The Red Storm leads the series 8-3 and has won 21 straight games against New York teams.
  • St. John’s beat Monmouth 78-63; Keyshawn Hall scored 26 points and grabbed 9 rebounds.
  • Iona is 2-0, holding opponents to 31.9% shooting from the field and 22.8% from 3-point range.
Yes, But

Iona has started well, including a last-second win over Vermont, and its defense has been effective through two games. The Gaels also have a familiar connection to St. John’s: coach Rick Pitino led Iona from 2020 to 2023, and former Red Storm captain Sadiku Ibine Ayo transferred to the program this offseason.

State of Play
  • St. John’s is 1-0 after its season-opening win over Monmouth.
  • Iona is 2-0, with senior guard Kevon Vanderhurst averaging 18.5 points per game.
  • Sunday begins a four-game stretch against New York State opponents for St. John’s.
What’s Next

After Iona, St. John’s continues its homestand against Colgate on Nov. 11 and Syracuse on Nov. 15.

Bottom Line

St. John’s brings a strong MSG record and an early-season win into a local matchup, but Iona’s unbeaten start and defensive form make this more than a homecoming formality.