NEW YORK — St. John’s ‘pick your poison’ approach led to another win, showcasing their ability to adapt and overcome challenges. The opening tip was secured by the Red Storm, and the ensuing 25 seconds of play may be remembered as the most intriguing part of an otherwise one-sided Big East Tournament quarterfinal against Butler. The Bulldogs, a team that struggled throughout the game, managed only three points in the first seven minutes and never really found their footing.
That initial possession sparked a moment of curiosity when viewed through the broader context of St. John’s season. The ninth-seeded Bulldogs, fresh off a win against Georgetown, employed an aggressive 1-3-1 zone defense, positioning lanky forward Patrick McCaffery (6-9, 215 pounds) near midcourt to disrupt the Red Storm’s rhythm. This unexpected strategy caught St. John’s off guard, leading to an ill-advised three-point attempt from point guard Kadary Richmond, who has struggled with his shooting, making just 19.4% of his perimeter shots. The ball clanged off the backboard without touching the rim. “Pass the ball!” shouted head coach Rick Pitino from his usual spot near midcourt, a position that often finds him outside the coaching box. Butler grabbed the rebound and swiftly moved down the court.
“St. John’s is such a rhythm team,” Butler head coach Thad Matta noted. “They will do what they do. If they don’t get what they want, they have some incredible one-on-one players. We thought the zone could slow them down a little bit.”
In that fleeting moment, the Bulldogs attempted to exploit what many view as the sole weakness of an otherwise exceptional St. John’s team. The Red Storm clinched the outright Big East regular-season title for the first time since 1985, a year that also marked the last time a player in a Red Storm uniform won the league’s Player of the Year award until shooting guard RJ Luis Jr. claimed that honor earlier this week. Despite the accolades accumulated during Pitino’s second season, including his first Coach of the Year award, the Red Storm are still among the lowest-ranked teams in three-point shooting nationwide. Entering the matchup against Butler, they had made only 29.9% of their attempts from beyond the arc, placing them 344th out of 364 Division I teams.
Critics pondered what would happen if St. John’s faced an opponent willing to challenge them from long range, whether in the Big East Tournament or during March Madness. Would the Red Storm’s season-long shooting struggles become more pronounced at critical moments? “They’re the best team in the league at what they do,” former UConn head coach Jim Calhoun remarked in a conversation with FOX Sports. “But you wonder about the shooting.”
Excelling in defensive pressure has been key for St. John’s, characterized by relentless full-court defense and dominance on the boards. This strategy has led them to 27 regular-season victories and the No. 1 seed at Madison Square Garden, despite their lackluster three-point shooting. Pitino has instilled toughness and determination in his team as a substitute for effective perimeter shooting.
Even on a day when Butler employed a unique defensive scheme to exploit the Red Storm’s weakness, Pitino’s squad proved unstoppable. The Red Storm managed to hit enough three-pointers (7-for-20) to match Butler’s shooting, effectively neutralizing one of the Bulldogs’ few advantages. When outside shots didn’t connect, St. John’s attacked the rim aggressively, scoring 44 points in the paint and dominating fast-break points 15-0. They never trailed and secured a 78-57 victory, advancing to the semifinals against No. 5 seed Marquette.
“I think it’s pick your poison,” Luis said, who led the game with 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds. “You either let us play man-to-man and beat you off the bounce, or if you play zone, you’re giving up a lot of offensive rebounds, and that’s what we do well.”
“Every time we step on that floor as a team, we want to be the best team. We want to deserve that No. 1 seed and continue to play hard together. Coach Pitino told us to play this game like it was our last, and I think that’s what we did.”
In recognition of St. John’s earning the No. 1 seed, a fervent pro-Red Storm crowd nearly filled Madison Square Garden during lunchtime on a workday—a sight that would have seemed improbable before Pitino took charge in the 2023-24 season.
Pitino has rejuvenated the fan base and the city, as St. John’s has surged to No. 6 in the national rankings. His influence is evident in the stands, where a middle-aged fan proudly wore a Red Storm letterman jacket with “BIG EAST” painted on his scalp, surrounded by the jersey numbers of this season’s stars. The atmosphere reached a fever pitch when one of the program’s legends, Walter Berry, was honored at midcourt. Without Pitino’s transformation of a struggling program, the arena likely would not have been filled to celebrate a past icon. When Luis received the Player of the Year award, he humorously acknowledged Berry’s long reign over the honor, which had not been held by a Red Storm player for 40 years.
“We’re not finished yet,” Luis declared during his acceptance speech.
At that moment, the Garden crowd erupted in applause, chanting, “Let’s go Johnnies!” Nearly everything about this quarterfinal had gone right for St. John’s.
“I told the guys that a five-star performance is a Michael Jordan performance,” Pitino said in his postgame news conference. “We were a four-star tonight.”
