No. 13 St. John’s kicked off their season with a dominant 78-63 victory over Monmouth on Monday night, but the real story is Keyshawn Hall, who dropped an absolutely electric 26 points in his Red Storm debut. This wasn’t just a good start, it was a statement from the Auburn transfer that he’s here to take over.
Hall’s Debut: An Instant Classic
From the moment the ball tipped, Keyshawn Hall was in another gear. The man made his first *six* shots, scoring nine of the Red Storm’s first 16 points, including a clutch three-pointer that stretched their lead to 31-16 early in the first half. He was practically unstoppable, hitting 20 points by halftime after a putback with just over four minutes left, and the Johnnies walked into the locker room up 45-29. Hall finished the game shooting 9 of 16 from the floor, grabbed nine rebounds, and went a perfect seven for seven from the free throw line in 33 minutes. If this is just a debut, what’s he going to do when he truly gets settled? Rick Pitino has to be thrilled with what he saw from his new transfer.
New Faces, Familiar Fight
Hall might have stolen the show, but he wasn’t alone in bringing the heat. Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino, now in his fourth season, rolled out a squad with 11 newcomers and they looked ready to battle. Preseason first-team All-Big East pick Ian Jackson, one of five returnees from last season’s Sweet 16 squad (the first since 1999, imagine that!), added 15 points, with 13 of those coming after halftime. He hit a pair of crucial three-pointers in just 56 seconds to push a 59-47 lead into a 19-point cushion when Monmouth started to chip away in the second half. Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou chipped in 12 points and new point guard Quinn Ellis from England showed his playmaking chops with eight points, seven assists, and five of the Red Storm’s 13 steals. Despite some struggles shooting 41% from the floor and just 6 of 20 from deep, the Red Storm secured the win. Monmouth got 17 points from Jakai Sanders and 15 from Madison Burr, but their 18 turnovers were costly.
Banners and Expectations: What’s Next for the Johnnies?
Before the game even started, the Red Storm were already celebrating past victories, unveiling banners for their second straight Big East regular-season and tournament titles, alongside their 2026 NCAA Tournament appearance and Sweet 16 trip. Losing standouts like Zuby Ejiofor, Bryce Hopkins, and Dillon Mitchell from last season’s 30-win team was a big test, but this win, especially with Hall’s explosion, shows Pitino has already reloaded. St. John’s (1-0) will host Iona on Sunday, which will be the first of 13 regular-season home games for them at Madison Square Garden. You better believe fans will be watching to see if Hall can keep this incredible momentum going.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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