St. John’s University Triumphs Over Seton Hall
In a thrilling comeback at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, St. John’s University defeated Seton Hall with a final score of 65-60, marking a significant milestone for Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino, who celebrated his 899th career victory. The Red Storm, who now hold a 14-5 overall record and a 7-1 mark in the Big East Conference, rallied from a daunting 15-point deficit in the second half to secure the win.
Key Performers
Dillon Mitchell was instrumental in the triumph, contributing a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Bryce Hopkins added another solid performance with 13 points and eight rebounds. St. John’s is currently on a roll, having won five consecutive games and seven out of their last eight, placing them just outside the AP Top 25 rankings this week.
Game Highlights
Meanwhile, Seton Hall (14-5, 4-4 Big East), who had recently slipped out of the rankings after their home losses to UConn and Butler, struggled to maintain their early momentum. The Pirates started strong, leading 38-32 at the half and extending their advantage to 47-32 at the beginning of the second period, matching the largest deficit St. John’s faced this season.
However, the Red Storm turned the tide with a more aggressive approach in both offense and defense, capitalizing on Seton Hall’s struggles at the free-throw line. Mitchell’s layup with just under five minutes left not only put St. John’s ahead for the first time since the first half but underscored a spectacular effort to shift the game’s momentum completely.
Upcoming Matches
St. John’s next matchup will be against Xavier on Saturday, a highly anticipated game as it will pit Rick Pitino against his son, Richard Pitino, who is in his first season as the head coach of the Musketeers. This family showdown is particularly noted since Richard holds a 1-3 coaching record against his father.
Seton Hall, looking to bounce back from their third straight defeat, will travel to face DePaul this coming Saturday. The ongoing season continues to shape up with competitive matchups in the Big East as teams jockey for position ahead of tournament play.
