St. John's opened its season with a decisive 78-63 victory over Monmouth, largely driven by the offensive firepower of transfer Keyshawn Hall. Hall, who arrived at St. John's after establishing himself as one of the SEC's top scorers, ignited the Red Storm's offense from the opening tip, scoring the team's first seven points.
Hall's strong first-half performance, where he netted 20 of his game-high 26 points, set the tone for the game. The Red Storm established a significant early lead and maintained control throughout the contest, with newcomer Ian Jackson contributing 15 points, including 13 in the second half. Quinn Ellis also made an impact, adding eight points, seven assists, five steals, and five rebounds. Despite the win, St. John's struggled with efficiency, shooting 41.9 percent from the field and making only 6 of 20 three-point attempts.
Monmouth put up a fight with a methodical offense, managing to stay within striking distance for much of the game. However, back-to-back three-pointers from Jackson late in the second half extended St. John's lead to 19, effectively sealing the victory. Tounde Yessoufou came off the bench to score 12 points.
Head coach Rick Pitino acknowledged that the team is still a work in progress, noting stretches of impressive play interspersed with defensive lapses and spacing issues on offense. Monmouth, which nearly defeated Seton Hall in an exhibition, showed potential despite being projected to finish fifth in the CAA.