{"id":3571,"date":"2025-11-08T22:05:43","date_gmt":"2025-11-08T22:05:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/philon-25-alabama-upsets-st-johns\/"},"modified":"2025-11-08T22:05:43","modified_gmt":"2025-11-08T22:05:43","slug":"philon-25-alabama-upsets-st-johns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/philon-25-alabama-upsets-st-johns\/","title":{"rendered":"Philon&#8217;s 25 Powers No. 15 Alabama Past No. 5 St. John&#8217;s at MSG"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<h2>Lead<\/h2>\n<p>On Nov. 8, 2025 at Madison Square Garden, Labaron Philon Jr. scored 25 points to lift No. 15 Alabama to a 103-96 victory over No. 5 St. John&#8217;s. Philon&#8217;s late, deep 3-pointer put the Crimson Tide up 98-88 with about two minutes left and helped seal the nonconference upset. Alabama shot 48.1% for the game and improved to 2-0, while St. John&#8217;s fell to 1-1 despite 27 from Zuby Ejiofor. The result ends St. John&#8217;s 12-game winning run at MSG and sends Alabama into a stretch of four consecutive games against ranked opponents.<\/p>\n<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Labaron Philon Jr. led Alabama with 25 points, shooting 10-of-17 from the field and hitting a decisive 3 with two minutes remaining.<\/li>\n<li>Aden Holloway added 21 points after missing the season opener with a wrist injury; Alabama finished 48.1% from the floor as a team.<\/li>\n<li>Taylor Bol Bowen and Latrell Wrightsell contributed 17 points apiece; Holloway and Wrightsell combined to go 15-of-31 and accounted for six of Alabama&#8217;s 11 made 3-pointers.<\/li>\n<li>St. John&#8217;s&#8217; Zuby Ejiofor scored 27, Bryce Hopkins had 19 and Ian Jackson 14, but the Red Storm missed 12 free throws despite a 49.2% team field-goal rate.<\/li>\n<li>Alabama took control late in the first half, outscoring St. John&#8217;s 16-6 to lead 53-44 at halftime on a Holloway 3 at the buzzer.<\/li>\n<li>St. John&#8217;s rallied to an 81-80 lead on a Joson Sanon 3 with 8:13 remaining, but Alabama closed the game on a 23-15 run to finish 103-96.<\/li>\n<li>The Crimson Tide (2-0) begin a four-game run against ranked opponents next, including a Thursday home meeting with top-ranked Purdue.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Background<\/h2>\n<p>Alabama opened its season with the kind of high-profile nonconference test programs use to measure depth and poise. The team entered Madison Square Garden seeking to prove it can compete with top-tier opponents; the victory marks the program&#8217;s first appearance at MSG since 2013-14 and removes a potential early stumbling block from the schedule.<\/p>\n<p>St. John&#8217;s came in ranked fifth nationally and riding a 12-game winning streak at MSG, a run that dated back across multiple seasons. The Red Storm&#8217;s roster includes scorers such as Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins, and the program expected a hostile home-crowd environment despite the neutral-court setting in Manhattan.<\/p>\n<p>For Alabama, the matchup also tested personnel resilience: Aden Holloway sat out the season opener with a wrist issue, then returned to play and provide a required scoring lift. The game figures to set tone and expectations as both teams head into heavier conference and ranked-team stretches.<\/p>\n<h2>Main Event<\/h2>\n<p>The game was tightly contested from the outset, but Alabama pulled away late in the first half. A 16-6 run to close the half culminated with Holloway drilling a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Crimson Tide a 53-44 advantage. Alabama&#8217;s ball movement and perimeter shooting began to tilt the possession chart in its favor.<\/p>\n<p>St. John&#8217;s mounted a strong second-half comeback. Behind Ejiofor&#8217;s scoring and contributions from Hopkins and Jackson, the Red Storm erased the deficit and grabbed an 81-80 lead on Joson Sanon&#8217;s 3-pointer with 8:13 left. The sequence gave St. John&#8217;s momentum and forced Alabama to respond defensively.<\/p>\n<p>Alabama answered by regaining control\u2014key defensive stops and efficient offense produced a late stretch where the Tide outscored St. John&#8217;s and forced the Red Storm into missed free throws. Philon&#8217;s 10-of-17 shooting night included the dagger 3 that stretched the lead to 98-88 with roughly two minutes to play.<\/p>\n<p>In the closing minutes Alabama executed free throws and managed the clock well enough to deny a final St. John&#8217;s surge. The final 103-96 margin reflected both Alabama&#8217;s offensive balance\u2014four players in double figures\u2014and St. John&#8217;s costly foul-line struggles, where the Red Storm missed a dozen free throws.<\/p>\n<h2>Analysis &#038; Implications<\/h2>\n<p>Alabama&#8217;s victory demonstrates depth and late-game execution on a national stage. Philon&#8217;s efficiency (10-of-17) and the combined shooting of Holloway and Wrightsell (15-of-31) gave the Tide multiple scoring avenues, an encouraging sign before a slate that includes several ranked opponents.<\/p>\n<p>For St. John&#8217;s the loss highlights a recurring vulnerability: free-throw shooting under pressure. Converting at the line would have changed late-possession math; missing 12 free throws in a seven-point game is the most tangible shortcoming and a correctable area before Big East play intensifies.<\/p>\n<p>Strategically, Alabama&#8217;s ability to close the first half with a decisive run and then weather a second-half surge speaks to in-game adjustment and bench production. That bodes well against upcoming quality opponents\u2014Purdue, Illinois and Gonzaga\u2014that test defensive versatility and depth.<\/p>\n<p>On a macro level, the result may modestly shift early season pecking order: top-ranked teams will note Alabama&#8217;s capability to beat a top-5 opponent away from home court advantage, while St. John&#8217;s must address end-of-game execution and free-throw mechanics to avoid similar losses.<\/p>\n<h2>Comparison &#038; Data<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Team<\/th>\n<th>Points<\/th>\n<th>FG%<\/th>\n<th>3PM<\/th>\n<th>FT Missed<\/th>\n<th>Top Scorer (pts)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Alabama<\/td>\n<td>103<\/td>\n<td>48.1%<\/td>\n<td>11<\/td>\n<td>N\/A<\/td>\n<td>Labaron Philon Jr. (25)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>St. John&#8217;s<\/td>\n<td>96<\/td>\n<td>49.2%<\/td>\n<td>N\/A<\/td>\n<td>12<\/td>\n<td>Zuby Ejiofor (27)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The table summarizes available box-score markers: Alabama and St. John&#8217;s posted similar field-goal percentages, but Alabama&#8217;s 3-point production (11 makes) and St. John&#8217;s 12 missed free throws were decisive differentials. The lack of a published total for Alabama free-throw misses in the available summary is noted as N\/A; full box score review is recommended for deeper possession-based metrics.<\/p>\n<h2>Reactions &#038; Quotes<\/h2>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;We made the plays we needed late and got big minutes across the roster,&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>Alabama postgame summary (paraphrase)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Crimson Tide framed the win as a collective effort; coaches emphasized late defensive rotations and balanced scoring as keys to closing out the game.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Tough to lose one like that when you get good looks and miss free throws,&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>St. John&#8217;s postgame notes (paraphrase)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>St. John&#8217;s staff singled out missed foul-line opportunities and late defensive lapses as areas to correct before their next outing at home versus William &#038; Mary.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Playing at Madison Square Garden brings its own energy; both teams showed why this stretch matters,&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>Independent analyst comment (paraphrase)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Observers highlighted the matchup&#8217;s value as a measuring stick for NCAA Tournament aspirations and as a barometer for how each program handles high-pressure nonconference games.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<details>\n<summary>Explainer: Why free-throw percentage matters late<\/summary>\n<p>Free-throw percentage often decides close games because missed attempts remove high-probability scoring chances and can swing possession strategy. Teams that miss multiple free throws late force themselves to rely on lower-efficiency field goals to recover. Coaches typically adjust by emphasizing foul-line shooting in practice and altering late-game rotation patterns to keep reliable shooters on the floor.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/aside>\n<h2>Unconfirmed<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The long-term effect of St. John&#8217;s free-throw struggles on conference play is unconfirmed and will require trend data over several games.<\/li>\n<li>Whether Aden Holloway&#8217;s wrist is fully recovered for the season remains unclear beyond his return for this game; the team has not provided a detailed medical timeline.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Bottom Line<\/h2>\n<p>Alabama&#8217;s 103-96 win at Madison Square Garden was decided by a combination of timely perimeter shooting and St. John&#8217;s missed free throws. Labaron Philon&#8217;s 25 points and a late 3 delivered a signature nonconference victory that will boost Alabama&#8217;s confidence heading into a demanding stretch of ranked opponents.<\/p>\n<p>For St. John&#8217;s, the game is a reminder that shooting efficiency at the foul line and late-game defensive execution are correctable but essential factors for sustaining a top-5 ranking. Both programs leave MSG with clear takeaways as they move into the next phase of their schedules.<\/p>\n<h2>Sources<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mens-college-basketball\/story\/_\/id\/46894467\/no-15-alabama-upsets-5th-ranked-st-john-103-96-msg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ESPN<\/a> \u2014 National sports media report summarizing the game.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/rolltide.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alabama Athletics<\/a> \u2014 Official team site and game recap (official).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/redstormsports.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">St. John&#8217;s Athletics<\/a> \u2014 Official team site and game notes (official).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lead On Nov. 8, 2025 at Madison Square Garden, Labaron Philon Jr. scored 25 points to lift No. 15 Alabama to a 103-96 victory over No. 5 St. John&#8217;s. Philon&#8217;s late, deep 3-pointer put the Crimson Tide up 98-88 with about two minutes left and helped seal the nonconference upset. Alabama shot 48.1% for the &#8230; <a title=\"Philon&#8217;s 25 Powers No. 15 Alabama Past No. 5 St. John&#8217;s at MSG\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/philon-25-alabama-upsets-st-johns\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Philon&#8217;s 25 Powers No. 15 Alabama Past No. 5 St. John&#8217;s at MSG\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3569,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"Philon's 25 Powers Alabama Past St. John's | SportsBrief","rank_math_description":"Labaron Philon Jr.'s 25 points, including a late 3, lifted No. 15 Alabama to a 103-96 upset of No. 5 St. John's at Madison Square Garden; Holloway added 21.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"Labaron Philon, Alabama Crimson Tide, St. John's, Madison Square Garden, college basketball","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3571","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3571","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3571"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3571\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3569"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3571"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3571"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3571"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}