It’s been a perfect storm of St. John’s basketball over the last several weeks, one that’s resulted in a 10-game win streak. After successfully knocking off No. 3 UConn 81-72, Rick Pitino stated they’d work just as hard to prepare for a game against his son, Richard Pitino, and Xavier — where last time out, they battled back from 15 down to pull off the win.
In the home victory against the Musketeers, Pitino showed off a new look, one without his suit jacket, as the Johnnies survived an overtime battle to the end, winning 87-82.
Here’s five takeaways as St. John’s keeps on rolling.
The Zuby-Bryce connection is lethal
Dan Hurley said it best, this St. John’s squad is “a tough ass team.”
How can you even game plan for the two giants in Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins? Their plan is simple, drive in the paint to make the simple bucket or draw a foul.
Against Xavier, the same tactic continued, with both behemoths totaling 18 of St. John’s first 42 points, with Hopkins also picking up two fouls, which limited his play through the first 20 minutes. The duo continued to be the main driving force on offense through the second half, providing a vast majority of the scoring. On the night, the pair totaled 44 of the team’s 87 points, shooting a combined 13-for-22.
“When the game was on the line, Bryce Hopkins won us this game,” said Rick Pitino.
The pair has been a nightmare to game plan for, especially with another dominant forward in Dillon Mitchell also delivering consistent scoring. In the win, Mitchell delivered one of his worst offensive performances, but over the last several games, has been a consistent driving force.
In March, many teams will have issues trying to hone in on the forward group while also worrying about the potential shooting strengths from guards.
Dylan Darling continues to be the much-needed spark
Dylan Darling has been the spark plug all season for St. John’s, with his game against UConn finally putting him in the much-deserved national spotlight. Darling has served as the team’s literal closer, coming in to clean it up for the Johnnies with his strong energy and presence on defense while providing elite playmaking. Against the Huskies, Darling did all of that and more, scoring nine points in 20 minutes with two assists.
Against Xavier, however, Pitino had a different vision, giving Darling a much heavier workload. Although the former Idaho State guard didn’t start, he saw extended first-half play, logging more minutes than starter Ian Jackson. In his 11 first-half minutes, Darling was a needed offensive presence, scoring 10 points while shooting 3-for-4 from the field. Again, Darling saw similar production in the second half, playing 17 minutes and scoring six points with four assists. Darling was once again the primary guard to play in the final five minutes of overtime, finishing the contest with 23 more minutes logged than Jackson.
“He’s starting to become one of the better point guards in the league,” said Xavier coach Richard Pitino. “He’s really tough, really young. If they can hold onto him, they can develop him into a really good guard.”
No matter where or how Darling receives his minutes, it’s clear that his role has expanded beyond just the “closer,” with the opportunity to potentially return to the starting lineup.
Xavier shows up yet again — Richard Pitino, great coach
While the Musketeers’ record doesn’t show it, Xavier is still a tough team to battle. Richard Pitino has spent his time around successful teams, building his coaching resume after a strong tenure with New Mexico, whom he led to the second round of the NCAA tournament last season after upsetting Marquette in the first round.
The Musketeers have proven to be a scrappy team this season, showing St. John’s that they’re dangerous by holding a 15-point lead with 19 minutes remaining in the second half, which the Red Storm erased for the win. In their second contest, this time at the Mecca, the father-son matchup was another close battle, with a 42-42 score at halftime.
Again, it was Xavier that jumped in front, 58-54, with 13 minutes remaining, continuing to apply pressure. Tre Carroll, the leading scorer from the first matchup, carried his effort into the road contest, scoring 21 points. With just under a minute left, Carroll delivered the clutch go-ahead basket, which Oziyah Sellers answered by scoring off a tipped-in missed shot.
It was an unlikely overtime contest at the Garden, one where Xavier continued to show it wasn’t backing down — that was until three Musketeers fouled out in a span of three minutes. The Red Storm hung on, winning 87-82, similar to the first contest’s result, an 88-83 win.
“We were ready to play, but they were terrific,” said Rick Pitino. “Certain teams cause matchup problems, this team does for us. We came away twice in the latter stages of the game. I hope we don’t face them in the Big East tournament.”
In Year 1 with Xavier, Richard Pitino has provided a sign of hope, one he can carry into this offseason’s transfer portal to add another potential team pushing for a March bid.
Ian Jackson… What’s gone wrong?
It’s been a disappointing season for the North Carolina transfer. Ian Jackson, one of the highest-touted prospects from the 2025 transfer portal, was set to serve as a game-changing guard for St. John’s. His move to the point guard position, however, has been a struggle.
The sophomore guard has started a majority of the season but recently has seen a dip in minutes in favor of backup point guard Dylan Darling, due to Darling’s highly valued defensive ability along with solid playmaking. Jackson is a solid scorer, averaging 10.5 points per game along with two rebounds and one assist, while continuing to improve defensively in his 19 minutes per game.
Against Xavier, Jackson again saw a dip in minutes, dating back to Jan. 20 against Seton Hall, when he played just 10 minutes with three turnovers and a scoreless night. Against the Musketeers, the New York native played 11 minutes, scoring three points with two rebounds and two fouls.
Is a change to the starting lineup on the horizon? That will be deciphered on Feb. 14 when the Johnnies travel to Providence.
Late-game free throws…
The horror St. John’s fans remember too well — late-game free throws.
Last season, with a chance to deliver a statement victory over Baylor, Zuby Ejiofor went to the line and missed both attempts from the charity stripe.
Against Xavier, the PTSD returned, with the Red Storm missing eight free throws in crunch time. On the night, the Johnnies went to the line 41 times, making 28 attempts to shoot 68%.
Free throws overall haven’t been a worry, as St. John’s ranks sixth nationally in free throw attempts (27.3) and ninth in free throws made (19.8). The main emphasis will be doubling down on converting at the line in closing minutes, something that can go a long way come March.
