College sports Big East Conference St. Johns Red Storm Rick Pitino Ryan Kalkbrenner Mens college basketball Creighton Bluejays College basketball Basketball AP Top 25 Mens College Basketball Poll Creighton Bluejays mens basketball New York City Wire St. Johns Greg McDermott Sports Lou Carnesecca Vince Iwuchukwu Fedor Zugic Mike Jarvis Saint Johns
# No. 6 St. John's beats Creighton 82-66 for 1st Big East Tournament crown in 25 years

By Mike Fitzpatrick  
March 16th, 2025 12:56 AM

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NEW YORK (AP) — Regular-season champs. A tournament title. Pride in the program fully restored.

The pied piper of college basketball rebuilds, Rick Pitino has St. John's back atop the Big East.

And this time, the nets were coming down.

RJ Luis Jr. scored all but two of his 29 points after halftime and No. 6 St. John's made 14 straight shots from the field in the second half to beat Creighton 82-66 on Saturday night for its first Big East Tournament title in 25 years.

"Wow, this is incredible just to come from last year to this year and to see the transformation," Luis said. "Coach P is the mastermind behind all of this. I mean, it's truly special."

Zuby Ejiofor added 20 points and Kadary Richmond had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the top-seeded Red Storm (30-4), who reached 30 wins for the third time in program history before a roaring hometown crowd at sold-out Madison Square Garden.

They earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for their first trip since 2019, making the 72-year-old Pitino the first coach to take six schools to the Big Dance.

The others were Boston University, Providence, Kentucky, Louisville and Iona.

"Great win for the city. Great win for our university. You hear it all along that it's New York's team, and it truly is," the Hall of Fame coach said. "As a New Yorker myself, I'm very, very proud that St. John's has gotten to this level."

Pitino, in his second season with the Johnnies, also became the first coach to win the Big East Tournament at two schools. He's won three times in his last four seasons in the league, after guiding Louisville to championships in 2009, 2012 and 2013.

"I saved the best for last," Pitino announced to loud cheers from the crowd of 19,812, pausing to remove falling confetti from his lips during a postgame interview on the court.

Luis, the Big East Player of the Year, also grabbed 10 rebounds and was selected the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. He was draped in a Dominican Republic flag as fans chanted "MVP! MVP!" after the game.

"Just still trying to soak it in, and it's just crazy how much you can speak things into existence and just watch it all come together," Luis said. "This has by far been the most emotional, happiest week of my 22 years of existence."

Ejiofor and Richmond made the All-Tournament team.

"The three of them have been unstoppable," Pitino said.

Ryan Kalkbrenner scored 15 points for second-seeded Creighton (24-10), which fell to 0-5 in Big East championship games since joining the conference for the 2013-14 season.

"It's hard to get to this game, let's be honest," coach Greg McDermott said. "We've been fortunate to be here quite a few times. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to finish the job."

When the resurgent Johnnies clinched their first outright regular-season conference championship in 40 years with a victory over Seton Hall at The Garden on March 1, they had already decided not to cut down the nets to celebrate.

More work to do.

But on this night, players and staff climbed the ladder and snipped their souvenirs.

It was the fourth Big East Tournament title for the Johnnies, who made the championship game for the first time since winning the 2000 trophy under Mike Jarvis. The previous two came in the 1980s under Hall of Fame coach Lou Carnesecca, who died Nov. 30 about five weeks shy of his 100th birthday.

"To finally get over the hump, it's really an unbelievable feeling," Ejiofor said. "I'm so happy to be a part of history."

And after the Red Storm cut down the nets, a message appeared on the giant video screen above center court: "For Looie."

"I'm thinking he would be so proud of this team," said Pitino, who has quickly revived St. John's into a national power again late in his illustrious but checkered career.

"Humility is a big part of my life right now. It wasn't always that way," he added. "I don't believe in redemption. I believe in humility."

The drought between Big East Tournament titles for the Johnnies was the longest for any team in league history.

"St. John's didn't get built by the NIL. St. John's got built with character of the players," Pitino said.

Luis was whistled for his second foul with 7:19 left before halftime and sat out the rest of the half.

After falling behind by eight early, St. John's finally took its first lead at 43-41 with 11:55 remaining when backup big man Vince Iwuchukwu scored left-handed in the post over the 7-foot-1 Kalkbrenner, the four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year.

That came 33 seconds after Ejiofor converted a tying three-point play that began a streak of 14 consecutive made field goals in 7:12 for the Red Storm, giving them a 70-55 lead. They connected on 17 of their final 19 field goal attempts to finish at 72% in the second period (23 for 32).

Quite an offensive display for a team that entered the game shooting 45% from floor.

"We definitely fed off the crowd, the energy, the atmosphere," Luis said. "It was ridiculous. It was very loud."

## By the numbers

St. John's has won nine straight games, and 19 of 20 since the new year. The team finished 21-0 on its home courts, including 12-0 at MSG — the program's most wins at The Garden since compiling 13 in 1958-59. The last time the Johnnies finished unbeaten at home was the 1931-32 season.

## Creighton injury

Bluejays reserve Fedor Zugic injured his right ankle with 11:23 left in the first half and had to be helped off the court to the locker room. He didn't return.

## Key stat

Creighton, which entered shooting 74% on free throws, missed six of its first eight from the line and finished 8 for 16.

## Up next

Creighton: Headed to its fifth straight NCAA Tournament when the brackets are revealed Sunday.

St. John's: Hasn't won an NCAA Tournament game in 25 years. Pitino and the streaking Red Storm seem likely to receive a No. 2 seed Sunday.

"We still have a lot to prove. We're not done," Ejiofor said.

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