St. John’s survived a brutal battle against Xavier in overtime, clinching their 10th consecutive victory behind clutch performances from Bryce Hopkins and Zuby Ejiofor. Rick Pitino moves into third on the all-time wins list, surpassing Roy Williams, while his team now sits atop the Big East standings alongside UConn.
St. John’s didn’t just win their 10th straight game on Monday night. They clawed their way to it, surviving a tense, gritty overtime battle against Xavier at Madison Square Garden. The 87-82 victory wasn’t pretty, but it pushed the 17th-ranked Red Storm into a flat-footed tie with UConn atop the Big East standings. More importantly, it cemented head coach Rick Pitino’s historic climb to third on the all-time NCAA wins list, surpassing Roy Williams.
This was no ordinary win for Pitino. It was his fifth victory over his son, Richard, now the head coach at Xavier. Like their first meeting, this one went down to the wire. But unlike the previous encounter, St. John’s needed extra time to seal the deal.
“Certain teams cause matchup problems for you, and this team does for us,” Pitino admitted. “But we came away twice in the latter stages of the games with a victory. I think that’s a great thing for our team.”
The Clutch Performances That Saved the Red Storm
The game could have easily slipped away. Xavier led by five late in the second half and had a defensive rebound within reach to seal the upset as a 16.5-point underdog. But St. John’s had other plans.
- Bryce Hopkins came alive in overtime. After a quiet start, the junior forward scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds. His two critical steals in the extra session disrupted Xavier’s rhythm and shifted momentum.
- Zuby Ejiofor dominated late. The senior guard scored six of his game-high 25 points in overtime, drilling timely shots when Xavier’s defense tightened.
- Oziyah Sellers forced overtime. Despite a poor shooting night, the sophomore guard tipped in his own miss in the final seconds to send the game into the extra period.
“When the game was on the line, really Bryce Hopkins won the game,” Pitino said. “He made big plays for us on the defensive end, and he was outstanding in the final seven, eight minutes of the game.”
Pitino’s Milestone and the Pitino Family Dynamic
With this victory, Pitino improved to 5-1 against his son, Richard, who has quickly established Xavier as a dangerous team despite their record. The two have faced off twice this season, with both games going down to the final possessions.
“I’m not really happy about 904,” Pitino said, referencing his career win total. “If we played better defense, I’d be much happier. Happy with the victory, but more proud of my son. In the two times we played them, he did things to really hurt our defense, did things to really hurt our press.”
Despite his frustration with the team’s defensive lapses, Pitino’s legacy continues to grow. Surpassing Roy Williams on the all-time wins list is no small feat, and his ability to keep St. John’s competitive in a stacked Big East speaks volumes about his coaching prowess.
What This Means for the Big East Race
St. John’s 10-game win streak has transformed them from a fringe contender into a legitimate threat for the conference title. Sitting at 12-1 in the league, they are now tied with UConn, who they defeated in dramatic fashion just three days earlier.
The Big East race is heating up, and St. John’s has proven they can handle the pressure. Their resilience in close games, especially against Xavier, shows they’re built for March.
“It might’ve looked like we came out lacking a little bit of energy. But it wasn’t like we were taking Xavier lightly,” said Dylan Darling, who contributed 16 points off the bench. “They took us down to the buzzer at their place, and we just went to OT with them tonight. We weren’t taking them lightly.”
The challenge now is maintaining this momentum. With a target on their back, St. John’s must stay sharp defensively—something Pitino has continuously emphasized.
The Path Forward: Can St. John’s Keep It Up?
Despite the milestone, Pitino wasn’t satisfied. Xavier’s offense had St. John’s on skates for long stretches, exploiting defensive gaps and forcing the Johnnies into uncomfortable rotations.
“They were terrific, and they were terrific at Xavier,” Pitino admitted. “Certain teams cause matchup problems for you, and this team does for us.”
If St. John’s wants to stay atop the Big East, they’ll need to tighten up their press and limit second-chance opportunities. Their offense is undeniably explosive, but defense will be the key to sustaining this historic run.
For now, though, the Red Storm will enjoy this moment. A 10-game win streak, a tie for first place, and a Hall of Fame coach still adding to his legend.
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