Bryce Hopkins, Rick Pitino Lead St. John's Basketball Past Providence as Red Storm Chase Big East History
Rick Pitino and St. John's basketball are one win away from making program history. After dismantling Providence basketball in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals, the Red Storm advanced all the way to Saturday night's championship game at Madison Square Garden, setting up a blockbuster title clash with UConn.
St. John's Basketball Crushes Providence, 85-72, at MSG
Setting the tone with five offensive rebounds in the first 45 seconds, St. John's scored the first nine points and never looked back, defeating Providence in a comfortable 85-72 win Thursday in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden.
Zuby Ejiofor had 21 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks as No. 13 St. John's blew out Providence in the quarterfinals. Bryce Hopkins added 14 points and a season-high 13 boards against his former team, helping the top-seeded Red Storm advance to the semifinals.
St. John's held a significant edge in paint points, 46-36, and dominated the glass with 51 total rebounds compared to Providence's 30. The bench also produced 30 points for the Johnnies compared to just four for Providence basketball.
Bryce Hopkins Delivers Revenge Performance Against Former Team
The Providence vs St. John's matchup carried a deeply personal storyline. This was Bryce Hopkins's first time playing in the Big East Tournament since 2023, when he was still with Providence, having missed the last two editions due to injury.
Hopkins got his measure of revenge with a soaring dunk and then gestured after draining a three-pointer. It was the first meeting between the two programs since a fight-filled Valentine's Day game, when a raucous crowd in Providence had taunted Hopkins, who transferred to St. John's for his final college season after a three-year stint with the Friars.
"This is the best time to play basketball," Hopkins declared after the win. "Our goal is to win a Big East tournament championship and Providence just so happened to be our first matchup."
Providence Basketball Season Ends, Coach Likely Out
The loss is expected to be Kim English's final game as Providence coach. Multiple reports citing anonymous sources indicated the school informed English he will be fired after the season, his third at Providence.
Providence basketball finished the year at 15-18 overall and 7-13 in Big East play, a steep drop from the program's recent peak. English's tenure ends without a tournament run to soften the blow.
Rick Pitino's St. John's Chasing Back-to-Back Big East Titles
St. John's advanced to the championship game after also defeating No. 4 seed Seton Hall 78-68 in the first semifinal Friday at Madison Square Garden, with UConn beating Georgetown 67-51 in the other semifinal.
When Rick Pitino was introduced three years ago as St. John's head coach, he pledged to restore the program's winning tradition. Three years later, the Red Storm stand on the verge of a second straight double championship in the Big East. The Friday semifinal win was also the 2,000th victory in St. John's program history.
Rick Pitino told reporters after the Seton Hall win that his players got the program "out of hibernation," noting that St. John's dominated the East Coast under coaches Joe Lapchick and Lou Carnesecca but had gone dormant for decades before his arrival.
St. John's vs. UConn: Big East Title on the Line Saturday Night
St. John's is seeking its second consecutive Big East title under Rick Pitino. St. John's has never won back-to-back Big East Tournament titles, making Saturday's championship game a shot at historic territory.
Dan Hurley and Rick Pitino are both Hall of Fame basketball coaches going head-to-head for one of the most prestigious conference titles in the country. The two programs have split their regular-season meetings this season, with the series tied 1-1 entering Saturday. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. ET on FOX at Madison Square Garden.
