St. John’s, under Rick Pitino, clinched at least a share of the Big East regular-season title for the second consecutive year with a gritty 72-65 victory over Seton Hall, cementing Zuby Ejiofor’s legacy as a program icon and rewriting a 40-year drought.
The final buzzer at Prudential Center didn’t just signal a win—it shattered a narrative. For decades, this Newark arena was a house of horrors for St. John’s, who entered the night with a 1-12 record before Rick Pitino arrived. Now, the Red Storm walked away victorious for the second straight year, clinching at least a share of the Big East regular-season crown with a 72-65 grind-it-out victory over Seton Hall.
The achievement is monumental. Back-to-back Big East titles? That hadn’t been done since the Patrick Ewing-led teams of 1985-86. In just three seasons, Pitino has transformed a program mired in inconsistency into a relentless, championship-caliber force. This wasn’t a fluke run; this was a systematic rebuild that climaxed on a night when St. John’s needed every ounce of its newfound toughness.
The Transformation: From Road Woes to Road Warriors
Before Pitino, St. John’s was synonymous with underachieving on the road, especially in Newark. The Prudential Center represented every failure of the past. That history made Friday night’s triumph resonate beyond the box score. This team doesn’t just win at home; they win in buildings that once felt like enemy territory. The 25-6 (18-2 Big East) record isn’t just about talent—it’s about a psychological shift.
Pitino’s impact is visible in every possession. The pressure defense, the transition threes, the unshakeable belief in crunch time. This is a team that embodies its coach’s “no fear of failure” mantra. The turnaround is stark: a program that hadn’t won a conference title since 2000 now finds itself in the midst of a dynasty conversation. The transformation is complete, and the proof is hanging a banner that reads “2025-26” alongside “2024-25.”
Ejiofor’s Masterclass: The Heart of a Champion
When the game was on the line, the ball found Zuby Ejiofor. It’s becoming a familiar script. With 17:03 left, Ejiofor picked up his third foul and watched from the bench as Seton Hall chipped away. When he returned with 9:28 remaining, St. John’s lead was just one. What followed was a clinic.
He scored on consecutive drives to push the lead to eight. Then, with 27.3 seconds left and the pressure maximal, he sank two free throws to make it a five-point game. On the next possession, his feed to Dillon Mitchell for a layup sealed it. Final line: 21 points, all but two coming after halftime despite the foul trouble. This is what the likely Big East Player of the Year does—he finds a way when the moment demands it.
Pitino’s postgame praise was telling: “He just took it over. He said, ‘I got to score.’ … He epitomized that tonight. He got the ball, he just went, he scored. Played with great confidence — the confidence of a two-guard.”
- Zuby Ejiofor: 21 points (8 in final 6:25), 2 clutch free throws, game-sealing assist
- Oziyah Sellers: 11 points, all after halftime, including two dagger threes during the 12-2 game-clinching run
- Dylan Darling: 36 minutes of gritty ball-handling against pressure: 9 points, 5 assists
- Dillon Mitchell: 6 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists—the ultimate glue guy
- Bryce Hopkins: 11 points, 7 rebounds off the bench
The Dogfight Mentality: Winning Ugly
This wasn’t a wire-to-wire domination. St. John’s was pushed to the brink, trailing by as many as nine in the second half. But these Red Storm don’t flinch. They’ve won so many close games this season (and last) that a one-possession deficit with five minutes left feels like home. The 12-2 run Sellers sparked was a microcosm: defensive stops, timely threes, and an unwavering will.
Darling’s 36 minutes against a relentless Seton Hall press were exhausting just to watch. His ability to break pressure and find open shooters was critical. Mitchell’s all-around brilliance—doing “a little bit of everything,” as Pitino noted—kept possessions alive. This is a team that understands its identity: they will make you work for every inch.
Fan Frenzy: “Let’s Go Johnnies” in Enemy Territory
As the final seconds ticked down, a loud “Let’s go Johnnies” chant erupted from the St. John’s section. For Ejiofor, the postgame interview was just the beginning. He emerged to a sea of red-clad fans screaming “Zuuuuby” at the top of their lungs. Some had brought confetti, tossing it toward the rafters in a celebratory cloud.
“St. John’s [fans] showed out tonight,” Ejiofor said. This wasn’t just a win; it was a party in someone else’s building. The travel support has become acharacter in this story, a tangible sign of a re-energized fanbase that believes, truly believes, in what’s being built.
The Ripple Effects: Bubbles, Seeds, and Unfinished Business
The victory delivers multiple immediate impacts:
- No. 1 Seed Lock: Regardless of Saturday’s result between UConn and Marquette, St. John’s is the top seed for the Big East Tournament and will open play at noon Thursday at Madison Square Garden.
- Seton Hall’s NCAA Hopes Dashed: At 20-11 (10-10 Big East), Seton Hall’s faint at-large hopes for the NCAA Tournament are now officially extinguished. Their path runs through the conference tournament.
- Potential Title Share: If UConn beats Marquette, the Huskies and Red Storm will share the regular-season crown. But the ultimate prize remains the Big East Tournament title and the automatic bid that comes with it.
Ejiofor admitted the clincher would have been perfect at the Garden—where last year’s title was sealed—but the mission isn’t complete. “That’s what we’re striving for,” he said of winning the Big East Tournament again.
Legacy in the Making: More Than a Title
Pitino’s postgame quote sums up the historic weight: “We have won back-to-back championships with two different teams. That is not easy to do.” He’s right. Maintaining excellence in the nation’s toughest conference, with roster turnover and relentless competition, is a monumental task. The common denominator, as he noted, is Ejiofor—the cornerstone who has grown from promising freshman to national player of the year candidate.
This season has been about legacy. The 2024-25 team was special. The 2025-26 team, forged in the crucible of high expectations, might be better. They’ve handled adversity, road pressure, and the target on their backs. The culture Pitino imported from Louisville is now deeply rooted in Queens. It’s a culture of winning, of expecting to win, of finding ways to win even when the Play doesn’t.
For a fanbase starved for sustained success, these back-to-back titles are more than a blip—they’re the foundation of a new era. The banner in Carnesecca Arena will now have two years on it. The questions about Pitino’s legacy have shifted from “Can he win here?” to “How high can this program climb?”
The journey continues next week at MSG. But Friday night in Newark was about something permanent: the coronation of a champion, and the confirmation that St. John’s basketball is back, not just for a moment, but for the foreseeable future.
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