In a strong start to the Big East Conference, St. John's University's men's basketball team, now 11-4 overall and coached by Rick Pitino in his first year, stands at 4-1. The Red Storm achieved a notable 81-71 victory over Villanova, the first road win against them since 1993, with freshman Brady Dunlap scoring 15 points. Following this, St. John's narrowly defeated Providence 75-73, despite a 31-point performance from Providence's Devin Carter. Jenkins and Soriano led St. John's with 16 points each. Coach Pitino acknowledges the team is not yet playing great basketball, but their record is the best since the 2000-01 season, tying them with Seton Hall for the league lead. The game against Providence saw an attendance of 11,832, adding to the season's momentum.
A lot of things St. John's has done well recently, from controlling the paint to getting out in transition to limiting turnovers, it didn't do tonight. Still found a way to win. #sjubb
Final stats from MSG: #sjubb #pcbb https://t.co/2q5JczilS3
The 4-1 start to Big East play is the program’s best since the 2000-01 season, Mike Jarvis’ third at the helm. #sjubb https://t.co/v4qVtjHnKe
Rick Pitino: still got it. https://t.co/r66s8bgyPf
This is @StJohnsBBall best start since 2000-1 https://t.co/GvuoUGOcy0
Tonight’s announced attendance: 11,832. That’s going to stir some mixed opinions, but this was a lively gathering that juiced this game up for most of the night. #sjubb #pcbb
R.J. Luis fighting past Ticket Gaines (some would say foul) on that last free throw miss by Johnnies. That's called the Big East. Have to hold him off.
The Red Storm sticking with the win! 🔥 🙌 @StJohnsBBall https://t.co/vvd5Jd6NfZ
Final Providence - 73 St. John’s - 75 Devin Carter records a career-high 31 pts Jayden Pierre also with a career high 17 pts https://t.co/HvYjRFGOFv
St. John’s holds on for a 75-73 win over Providence. Jenkins and Soriano paced the Johnnies with 16 apiece, Devin Carter had 31pts, 13rebs for Providence.
From a fan in the student section to @NYPost_Brazille after the buzzer: “Zach, how’s the crowd? We’re here!” #sjubb
St. John's survives, 75-73. Jenkins and Soriano with 16 each. At 4-1 in the league, #sjubb off to best start since 2000-01 season. Tied with Seton Hall atop the standings.
St. John's hangs on, 75 -73 Friars with a gritty, tough 2nd half. Third loss in a row for PC. Devin Carter: 31pt , 13 reb, 4 steals
Luis misses the second, Pierre’s runner cuts through the air, Providence is late on the putback. That’ll do it at the Garden, where St. John’s survives the Friars, 75-73 the final. At 4-1 in Big East play, the Red Storm is now tied with Seton Hall for the league lead. #sjubb
St. John's hangs on for the W! 🙌 @StJohnsBBall https://t.co/o9qvBFcRGP
Breaks had to go our way one year didn't they? #SJUBB
Little things are big things. #pcbb
St. John’s beats Providence, 75-73. Johnnies now 12-4 overall, 4-1 in Big East and have knocked off Butler, Villanova and Friars in last 3 games. Rick Pitino doesn’t have a star - but still finding a way.
Final: @StJohnsBBall 75, @PCFriarsmbb 73 St. John's and Seton Hall stand atop the Big East at 4-1 Soriano 14 of his 16 in the 2nd half to go w/ 11 boards Jenkins 16, 8 assists, 4 rebs Luis 12 and 8 boards Dunlap 10 Carter 31 and 13 Pierre 17 https://t.co/kuT1KMzgZG
Luis misses the first. #sjubb
AJ Storr with force through TRAFFIC! 🔥 @storr_aj x @BadgerMBB https://t.co/RmfwvGuK8g
Dunlap missed the second as well, but Luis comes away with a MASSIVE rebound, AND fouls Carter out in the process after a heroic 31 and 13. #sjubb #pcbb
Dunlap misses the first. #sjubb
Providence let three seconds elapse before fouling Dunlap. Pressure situation for the freshman here. #sjubb #pcbb
Carter cuts it to ONE! @PCFriarsMBB https://t.co/F3h17Loovw
St. John’s doesn’t foul, Carter takes 13 seconds before splitting the seam for a layup. Providence within one, and Rick’s taking his last timeout to draw up the defense with 9.8 seconds left. The Red Storm will almost certainly be fouled right away here, up 74-73. #sjubb #pcbb
Far be it from me to advise a guy with two national championships and almost 850 wins on his resume, but I’d foul if I were Pitino. #sjubb
You don’t need a three here. #pcbb
Title-winning coach Rick Pitino: St. John’s ‘not a great basketball team’ yet despite strong 2nd place start to Big East play https://t.co/oCATUMxLVR
A BIG TIME three from @kingcarter2225! The Friars are within 5! cc: @PCFriarsMBB https://t.co/BY22MX6Mel
Carter just drilled an off-balance three to get Providence within five. Looked like he may have been fouled on the release, but the officials say otherwise. English was rather animated about that before calling a timeout. Friars trail SJU, 72-67, with 1:47 to go. #pcbb #sjubb
Solid answer by St. John’s in that last segment, and its lead is now holding at 11 headed to the U8. Behind 14 and seven assists from DJ, the Red Storm is overcoming the 20/10 Carter is posting to valiantly keep Providence in this game. It’s 61-50, Johnnies, with 7:35 to go.
Both teams have cooled off since the last stoppage, but St. John’s still has a firm hold on this game as the end of the first half draws nearer. Carter is fighting for Providence with six points and six rebounds, and with 7:38 left in the first half, the Red Storm leads, 24-15.
St. John's just beat Villanova for the first time on the road since 1993. @StJohnsBBall is now 3-1 in @BIGEASTMBB play and they haven't been 3-1 (or better) in Big East play since 2010-11. https://t.co/wVTROPbt59
Convincing win for St. John’s at Villanova. Rick Pitino has our Johnnies at 11-4, 3-1 in Big East play. Quite a turnaround in Year One.
St. John’s wins at Villanova, 81-71 Red Storm is 11-4, 3-1 Big East under Rick Pitino Freshman Brady Dunlap, 15 points for @StJohnsBBall https://t.co/71nE9PmHXy
Start to second half is really big. Villanova has momentum. St. John's needs to push lead back into double figures. #sjubb