All articles tagged with #st johns red storm
St. John's and Rick Pitino have agreed to a restructuring that adds a year to his deal and includes a substantial pay raise for Pitino and his staff, positioning him as the Big East’s second-highest-paid coach. Pitino, who has propelled St. John’s to consecutive Big East titles and a Sweet 16 this season, indicated he plans to continue coaching, barring retirement.
Duke 80, St. John’s 75 in a Sweet 16 game highlighted by Cameron Boozer’s 22 points and 10 rebounds, including a decisive late hoop; St. John’s backcourt went 7-for-28, while Duke reserve Caleb Foster added 11 points with no turnovers as Duke shot 57.1% after halftime to pull away and end the Red Storm’s season.
Top-seeded Duke erased a 10-point second-half deficit to beat St. John's 80-75 in the East Regional Sweet 16, with Caleb Foster returning from a foot injury to score 11 points and Isaiah Evans pouring in 25 on 10-of-15 shooting, while Cameron Boozer added 22 points and 10 rebounds as Duke used its defense to hold on for the Elite Eight.
Billionaire St. John’s booster Mike Repole tells The Post that Rick Pitino is the perfect coach for the program, calling him a culture-shaper and comparing him to a maestro who energizes New York and pursues a Final Four mindset. He emphasizes Pitino’s relentless work ethic, the need for big ambitions and big moments at Madison Square Garden, and his substantial NIL backing for the team, while praising Pitino’s ability to push players to reach higher standards. Repole also reflects on his own drive, the NYC basketball lineage, and the importance of thinking big and dreaming bigger.
Ahead of a high-profile Duke–St. John’s NCAA showdown, the column frames the game as St. John’s chance to stake its claim in March Madness 2026, riding momentum from a win over Kansas and drawing on Lou Carnesecca’s 1979 Selection Sunday memory to underscore the program’s ongoing pursuit of relevance in the evolving Big East era.
St. John's punched its ticket to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999 with a 67-65 win over Kansas, capped by Dylan Darling's buzzer-beater; alumni Dwight Hardy, Phil Greene, Amir Garrett and Metta World Peace lit up social media in celebration as the Red Storm prepare to face Duke in Washington, D.C.
Dylan Darling, scoreless until the final 3.9 seconds, took an inbounds pass and drove for a dramatic last-second layup to lift St. John’s over Kansas 67–65 and push the Red Storm into the Sweet 16 to face Duke in Washington, D.C.—a moment described as emotional and monumental for Darling and the program.
St. John’s rallied to a 67-65 win over Kansas on Dylan Darling’s buzzer-beater, overcoming late controversy over two calls critics said could have cost them a Sweet 16 bid: a backcourt violation called against St. John’s that a deflection should’ve negated, and a boundary sequence near out of bounds. The victory ends a 27-year drought and sets up a date with Duke.
St. John’s rallied late to stun Kansas 67-65 in the NCAA Tournament, as Dylan Darling banked in a driving layup at the buzzer to send the Red Storm to the Sweet 16. Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins each scored 18 for St. John’s, while Kansas’ Darryn Peterson led all scorers with 21 in the loss. St. John’s advances to face Duke in the East Region semifinals.
St. John’s (No. 5) advances to a second-round duel with Kansas (No. 4) after beating Northern Iowa in the first round, led by Zuby Ejiofor’s 14 points and 11 rebounds. Bryce Hopkins sparked the offense with multiple 3s, while Kansas faced early foul trouble for Flory Bidunga. The matchup also features a high-profile Pitino–Self coaching showdown as the Madness continues.
Kansas is predicted to edge St. John’s in the Round of 32 at Viejas Arena in San Diego (March 22, 2026, 5:15 p.m. ET on CBS). The article’s best bet is Kansas moneyline (+140), and a same-game parlay centers on Darryn Peterson’s scoring, assists, and rebounds. It notes Kansas’ strengths (better 3-point shooting and free-throw percentage) and key matchups with St. John’s size and athleticism.
St. John’s rising star Zuby Ejiofor, developed under coach Rick Pitino, faces his former team Kansas in a Sweet 16 clash, with his father urging him to show Kansas why they made a mistake letting him go.
St. John’s sprinted out to a 13-0 lead and never trailed, burying 10 first-half 3s on the way to a 79-53 win over 12-seed Northern Iowa to reach the second round; Ejiofor had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks as the Johnnies improved to 29-6 and moved within one win of a Sweet 16.
St. John’s overcame a 19-point deficit late to beat Seton Hall 78-68 and advance to a second straight Big East tournament title game, led by Zuby Ejiofor’s 20 points as the Johnnies extend their hot stretch and set up a showdown with Connecticut or Georgetown.
St. John’s edged Seton Hall 78-68 at Madison Square Garden to advance to the Big East championship, with late free throws from Bryce Hopkins helping seal the win and Pitino eyeing back-to-back titles.