No. 2 Johnnies Open NCAA Tournament with a Win

The St. John's University basketball team took down Ripon College in their first matchup of the 2020 NCAA Division III Tournament on Friday.

The Johnnies put together a solid first-half performance that ended in a 21-3 run to take a commanding 42-22 lead at the break.

Despite the fact that SJU led by as many as 30 points in the second half, the Red Hawks came back strong. They outscored the Johnnies 53-42, but another late push gave St. John's the edge they needed to win it 87-75.

Colton Codute led the team with 20 points, six rebounds, and two steals. Oakley Baker added 16 points, Kyle Sorenson 15, and Jubie Alade 14. Zach Hanson earned a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

The Johnnies improve to 26-2 overall. They will host the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Saturday for their chance to go to the sweet sixteen. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.