Zuby Ejiofor much more than just most improved in record-setting performance for No. 6 St. John’s

Maybe most improved didn’t really do Zuby Ejiofor justice.

The junior forward delivered an overpowering performance Friday night for No. 6 St. John’s, scoring a career-best 33 points — a school record in the Big East Tournament — as the Red Storm rolled into the conference championship game for the first time in 25 years with a 79-63 victory over No. 25 Marquette.

“The big dog over here just was tremendous. Last night, he got a little frustrated because he didn’t get the ball much, and tonight he just showed unbelievable leadership every timeout,” St. John’s coach Rick Pitino said.

“I don’t know what was better, his play or his leadership tonight. They were both pretty extraordinary.”

After winning the Big East Most Improved Player award this season, Ejiofor took only four shots Thursday in a 78-57 quarterfinal blowout of Butler, finishing with four points and seven rebounds.

In truth, the Johnnies didn’t need much from him in that one. But they fell behind by 15 early against fifth-seeded Marquette in the semifinals — before Ejiofor took over.

Dominating the Golden Eagles down low and running the floor with abandon, the Kansas transfer from Garland, Texas, went 11 of 15 from the field with an array of purposeful post moves and thunderous dunks. He shot 11 for 12 at the foul line.

The team co-captain added nine rebounds and three assists in 38 minutes, providing just the boost St. John’s (29-4) needed to pull away and win easily in the end. He scored six of the Red Storm’s first nine points in the second half — and 11 straight for the Johnnies to help them open a 64-54 lead with 7:42 left.

“He keeps us going all the time, whether it’s bad or good,” teammate Aaron Scott said. “He stays solid. He never gets too low, never gets too high. Stays sane, and that’s what we need each and every game, and that’s what he brings.”

When he came out off the court with seconds left, the 6-foot-9, 240-pound Ejiofor grinned as he received handshakes from teammates, and the sold-out Madison Square Garden crowd let loose with a chorus of “Zooooooob!!”

“It was just an amazing feeling, and I got it early. I just want to thank my coaching staff and my teammates for putting me in the position to be successful,” said Ejiofor, also a first-team All-Big East selection this season. “They told me to come out and be a lot more aggressive than I did last game, and that’s exactly what I did. So I just want to give all the props to them.”

It was the most points for a player in a Big East semifinal since Kemba Walker scored 33 for UConn against Syracuse in 2011. Ejiofor also became the first St. John’s player since Walter Berry in 1986 with at least 30 points and nine rebounds in a postseason game.

Ejiofor set his previous career high with 28 points against Kansas State on Dec. 7, but he was a particular thorn in Marquette’s side as St. John’s swept all three meetings this season.

That included an 86-84 overtime victory in Milwaukee last weekend on Ejiofor’s buzzer-beater in the lane.

“Zuby Ejiofor was the best player on the floor. He was terrific today,” Golden Eagles coach Shaka Smart said Friday night.

Coming off the program’s first outright Big East regular-season title in 40 years, the Johnnies hold the top seed at the conference tournament for the first time since 1986.

Seeking their fourth Big East Tournament championship and first since 2000, they’ll play Saturday night against second-seeded Creighton, a 71-62 winner over No. 3 seed UConn in the semifinals.

“It’s been a crazy ride,” Ejiofor said. “We want to be in these moments.”

Ejiofor played little as a freshman at Kansas, averaging 5.2 minutes in 25 games, before leaving for St. John’s when Pitino took over. Last season, Ejiofor was an energetic and useful backup to Red Storm center Joel Soriano, himself a winner of the Big East Most Improved Player award and a second-team all-conference choice in 2023.

After averaging 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds a year ago, Ejiofor grew into a much larger role this season and became a huge reason for the resurgence at St. John’s.

“When Zuby came in, I put him through a hard player-development session. First thing I noticed is he never complained about the drills. He went through it. Then he shot the ball really well. I said to his dad, I said, ‘I got myself a hell of a player here.’ He said, ‘I’ve been telling everybody Zuby can shoot.’ I said, ‘Well, Zuby can do a lot of things,'” Pitino said.

“But every coach wants to have a player like him — selfless, just cares about the team. You get blessed in coaching him. I’m coaching 50 years and there are very few Zubys that come along that just think about the team. Whether he scores 33 or three, it’s all about the team. Every timeout, he’s saying something positive to the guys. … We’re lucky to have him. He’s our captain.”

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