St. John’s Faces Michigan in Bad Boy Mowers Series at MSG
St. John’s men’s basketball team is scheduled to face Michigan in a highly anticipated exhibition game on Saturday at Madison Square Garden. This matchup marks a historic moment as it will be the first exhibition contest held at this iconic venue for St. John’s, currently ranked No. 5/6.
Key Details of the Game
- Date: Saturday
- Time: 7:00 PM
- Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York
- Opponent: Michigan, ranked No. 7/7
- Series Title: Bad Boy Mowers Series – New York
This game is part of St. John’s season, which includes 14 guaranteed appearances at Madison Square Garden, the most since the 1951-52 season. The exhibition will be available for streaming on Big Ten+, with a pay-per-view option priced at $8.99. The broadcast will also re-air on MSG Network.
Recent Performances and Rankings
Earlier this week, St. John’s achieved its highest preseason ranking in program history, coming in at No. 6 in the USA TODAY Coaches Top 25 poll and No. 5 in the Associated Press poll. At the BIG EAST Media Day, the Red Storm were predicted to retain their title as regular season champions.
Player Highlights
St. John’s boasts several preseason all-conference honors:
- Zuby Ejiofor: Predicted BIG EAST Player of the Year
- First Team: Bryce Hopkins
- Second Team: Ian Jackson
- Third Team: Joson Sanon, Dillon Mitchell
The squad aims to build on last season’s success, where they achieved a perfect 12-0 record at Madison Square Garden and won their first BIG EAST Tournament Championship in 25 years.
Michigan’s Performance and Expectations
Michigan enters this exhibition as the defending Big Ten Tournament Champions, ranked No. 7 in both major polls. Under new Head Coach Dusty May, they recorded a 27-10 overall record and reached the Sweet 16 last season. Their first exhibition earlier this month ended in a close defeat to Cincinnati, with standout Yaxel Landeborg scoring 31 points and pulling down 12 rebounds.
Upcoming Schedule
Following the match against Michigan, St. John’s will kick off its regular season on Nov. 8 against No. 15/16 Alabama at Madison Square Garden. The excitement continues to build around the team as they aim for another successful season.
