Inside look at where St. Johns stands at seasons halfway point

CINCINNATI — Tuesday night’s 82-72 win over Xavier marked the midpoint of St.John’s season.

It has been an interesting year, to say the least.St.John’s is 13-3 overall and 4-1 in Big East play, in position to reach the main draw of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade.There have been two buzzer-beaters, a suspension, a star has emerged, a preseason concern has become a glaring problem and legendary coach Lou Carnesecca died at the age of 99.The Post takes a look at the Johnnies 16 games in:Zuby Ejiofor has been St.

John’s best and most consistent player.The affable 6-foot-9 forward is a front-runner for the Big East Most Improved Player.

He’s a two-way force, the backbone of St.John’s ninth-ranked defense and the nation’s second-leading offensive rebounder at 4.4 per game.

The tri-captain with the nonstop motor had the biggest moment of this season up to this point, a baby jumper at the horn to give the Red Storm their first victory at Providence since 2017.He has more than doubled his scoring output from a year ago, averaging 14.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.1 steals.

The day after Ejiofor missed two free throws in the final seconds of a second overtime of a heartbreaking loss to Baylor that ultimately cost St.John’s the game, Red Storm fans in the Bahamas showered him with chants of “Zu-by, Zu-by,” to lift him up.

The Johnnies followed by whipping Virginia by 25 points.A few weeks later, Ejiofor made sure fans were able to celebrate in the first game after Carnesecca’s passing, going for 28 points and 13 rebounds in an emotional rout of Kansas State.St.John’s lost at the horn on Jeremy Roach’s 3-pointer in the Bahamas, a shot that wouldn’t have counted had the clock started on time.

It was a gut-punch of a loss to a top-20 team that would’ve been big for the Johnnies’ résumé.It didn’t feel like a November defeat.This is easy.

Three-point shooting.It is holding this team back.

St.John’s hit ...