NEW YORK, NY - St. John’s fans braved the cold, packing Madison Square Garden to see their team take on Xavier. It wasn’t pretty, but it was thrilling. The Red Storm clawed their way to an overtime victory, fueled by grit, determination, and a relentless defense that Xavier Coach Sean Miller called "the toughest in the league."

“St. John's makes you work harder for your points than any other team,” Miller said. “They are an awesome defensive team that puts relentless pressure on you. They can ratchet it up in the closing minutes to close out the game.”

For most of the night, though, it looked like Xavier might escape the storm. The Musketeers were careful with the ball and made big shots early. But as the game wore on, St. John’s turned up the pressure. By the time overtime arrived, the weight of that pressure was too much for Xavier to handle.

“We protected the ball until overtime-game pressure killed us,” Miller admitted. “They’re a unique blend of full-court and half-court pressure that just overwhelmed us in the end.”

One of the players leading that pressure was Zuby Ejiofor. The big man didn’t have a great start, but he finished strong, fighting for loose balls and dominating the paint when it mattered most. After the game, he was clear about what drives him.

“I’m a sore loser,” Ejiofor said. “I don’t want to lose games. I have a motor that keeps going until the end of the game, so it doesn’t matter if I start slow. I’m going to find a way to win, and that’s what this team is all about.”

Kadary Richmond also came alive late, scoring critical points and keeping St. John’s offense afloat. He admitted the team didn’t prepare well enough and had to adjust mid-game.

“It’s always gonna be harder the second time you play teams,” Richmond said. “I can’t tell you why we are starting slow, but we have to prepare better. I came out more aggressive tonight, and that made a big difference.”

Head coach Rick Pitino echoed those sentiments but didn’t shy away from the truth. “This team has a healthy fear of losing, and that matters a lot,” he said. “We got outplayed tonight for most of the game. But we needed this win as much as Xavier, if not more.”

Pitino also reflected on what winning means to the program. “Over 14,000 fans came out to see us on an absolutely frigid Wednesday night because we’re winning. It’s all about winning in New York, and it’s a shame that Lou (Carnesecca) is not alive because he would be proud of this team. We are a humble group. Ego is what kills every team. Every coach.”

For St. John’s, fear is a powerful motivator. Now that they’re nationally ranked, that fear only grows stronger. The Red Storm isn’t shooting the ball well, but their defense and resolve are carrying them through. If they ever find their offense amid all this fear, they could become unstoppable.