St. John's Defeats Texas 87-74 in Exhibition
The Red Storm secured a decisive exhibition win at Madison Square Garden on Friday night.
Updated on Oct. 25, 2026 in Basketball
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St. John's earned an 87-74 victory over Texas in an exhibition basketball game held at Madison Square Garden. The Red Storm dominated the contest, leading for all but 36 seconds of play.
Why it matters
The game provided a key opportunity for both programs to test lineups and rotations against high-level competition before official season play begins. For Texas, the loss highlights specific areas for improvement regarding ball security and efficiency.
Keyshawn Hall led St. John's with 24 points, while Tounde Yessoufou contributed 23 points in the victory. Texas was led by Isaiah Johnson, who recorded 18 points in the loss.
The players
Keyshawn Hall
He is a standout player for St. John's who delivered a game-high 24 points in the exhibition matchup.
Tounde Yessoufou
He is a key contributor for St. John's who tallied 23 points during the game.
Isaiah Johnson
He is a lead offensive player for Texas who scored 18 points in the team's exhibition performance.
The details
St. John's controlled the pace through superior rebounding and passing, finishing with 19 assists compared to 12 for Texas. Texas struggled with discipline, committing 19 fouls throughout the exhibition.
Timeline
The exhibition game took place on October 25, 2026.
Texas is scheduled to open its regular season against Chicago State on November 2, 2026.
Season Trajectory
This exhibition game serves as a critical evaluative marker within the NCAA Division I men's basketball exhibition schedule. It positions St. John's as a program finding early cohesion, while Texas faces pressure to adjust before its upcoming season opener.
Texas must resolve its turnover and foul issues, having committed 16 turnovers and 19 fouls in this outing. The team's 65% free-throw shooting indicates a specific area for correction before the November 2nd regular season opener.
The takeaway
Exhibition games offer valuable data points for coaching staffs to refine their rotations and improve ball security. Fans should look for these specific performance metrics to stabilize as the teams move toward their official regular season schedules.
What happens next
Texas plays its regular season opener against Chicago State on November 2, 2026.
Further reading
For more analysis on college hoops, visit the Basketball section.
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