St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino yells to his team as they play against Creighton during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
In the heart of Big East play, Rick Pitino and St. John’s have found themselves in the heat of battle for a spot in the big dance come March. Currently projected as a No. 8 seed in Joe Lunardi’s bracketology, the Red Storm has a pivotal stretch coming up in conference play that will determine their fate.
St. John’s is currently 35th in the NET rankings, the NCAA system for weighing wins and losses against the quality of the opponent. With how stacked the Big East is this year, the Red Storm have plenty of opportunities ahead of them for Quad One victories, the highest caliber opponents in D1 basketball. Pitino and his squad have not fared well against the best of the best, as they currently hold a 2-5 record in such games.
The Johnnies’ upcoming matchup against the UConn Huskies could single-handedly push them over the brink of being a bubble team and secure their spot in March Madness. St. John’s gave the Huskies all they could handle in their first matchup, only losing by four points in Storrs. Now at the mecca on Saturday, Pitino has the chance to earn his first signature victory at the helm of the Red Storm.
St. John’s also has an opportunity to gain more quality wins and stack their tournament resume as conference play winds down. They still match up against Creighton at home, then face Marquette, Providence, Butler, and Xavier all on the road. With the Big East containing as much talent as it does, the Johnnies have plenty of chances to earn quality victories and make their resume as impressive as it can be.
Realistically, the Red Storm need to win at least three of their remaining six games against quad-one opponents to secure a guaranteed spot in March.
However, as we learned from another tri-state area team last year, the losses…
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