As the red and white confetti fell on the heads of Rick Pitino and the St. John’s men’s basketball team, the city of New York stood proud. For the first time in 25 years, the Red Storm were champions of the Big East Tournament. The 82-66 victory over Creighton ended a magical run ahead of the NCAA Tournament, but in actuality, it started when the Hall of Famer first landed in Queens.
After retaining just two players from the 2022-23 roster, Pitino looked to the transfer portal to help construct his first St. John’s team. Among the nine new players, two evolved into program cornerstones: RJ Luis Jr. and Zuby Ejiofor.
“Neither guy had great seasons where they were, but after working both of them out, I thought they had great potential as basketball players,” Pitino said, referencing the 2023 transfer cycle. “Did I expect them to reach these heights? I didn’t really think about it, but I have great gratitude that they did.”
On a cloudy Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, both guided the Johnnies to their biggest achievement in a quarter century.
Following an inefficient first half of play — which resulted in a three-point Creighton lead at the break — the duo took complete control in the second, an ongoing theme in year two under Pitino.
Combining for 49 points and 13 rebounds, the Bluejays had no answer for Luis, the eventual Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player, nor Ejiofor, the Red Storm’s team captain.
While the second-half surge may have been easy to predict, given St. John’s consistent undying heart and determination in the final 20 minutes of play — regardless of the opponent — a miraculous game-ending run wasn’t.
Behind Luis, Ejiofor and Kadary Richmond, “New York’s Team” converted on 17 of its final 19 attempts, battering Creighton en route to the long-awaited title.
Luis, who also took home the Big East Player of the Year honors ahead of the conference tournament, scored 27 of his 29 points in the second half while again displaying his first-round NBA potential.
“I’m truly blessed and very happy to bring this championship back to New York City,” Luis said postgame. “This has just been my destiny.”
Tasked with defending Ryan Kalkbrenner, a four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year and unanimous All-Big East First Team selection, Ejiofor was sensational. The Red Storm’s anchor limited Kalkbrenner to just 15 points and seven rebounds, preventing a monster performance from the 7-foot-1 big man.
Meanwhile, Richmond — the best point guard in the nation if you ask Pitino — again turned in an all-around performance that drove the St. John’s engine. He finished with 12 points, 12 rebounds and four assists, capturing his first tournament title since he joined the Big East in 2021.
With the March onions already triggering tears from the St. John’s fanbase, the next challenge awaits: the NCAA Tournament. Already snubbed once during his tenure in Queens, Pitino and the Red Storm punched their ticket to the big dance — and possibly a top-two seed.
“When I hear St. John’s is ‘New York’s Team,’ that makes me feel awesome inside,” Pitino said postgame. “It’s an extra special feeling, you know?”
The Johnnies will learn who their first-round matchup will be tomorrow during the Selection Sunday broadcast. Coverage starts at 6 p.m. EST on CBS.
To access the final box score from the St. John’s win over Creighton, click here.
