Sat Mar 01 19:50:00 UTC 2025: ## St. John’s Red Storm on Verge of Historic Big East Title

**New York, NY** – The St. John’s Red Storm men’s basketball team is on the cusp of its first outright Big East regular season championship since 1985. A victory over rival Seton Hall this Saturday at Madison Square Garden will secure the title for the seventh-ranked Johnnies (25-4, 16-2).

The team, assembled last July with ambitious goals, including a Big East title, has consistently exceeded expectations. Despite a preseason ranking outside the top 25 and a fifth-place prediction by Big East coaches, St. John’s has dominated the conference.

“This is what we spoke about when we all came together in July,” said guard Kadary Richmond. “It’s all up to us to go out there and take it.”

While an on-court celebration with confetti and a trophy presentation is planned for a victory, the team has unanimously decided against cutting down the nets at the Garden, prioritizing their focus on the upcoming NCAA tournament.

“It was a collective decision…we haven’t really accomplished a lot as of yet,” explained tri-captain Zuby Ejiofor. Coach Rick Pitino echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the team’s unwavering focus on the next game. This approach has been key to their success, even with a Top 10 ranking and the most wins in 25 years.

The Red Storm’s remarkable turnaround builds on last year’s foundation under Pitino, where they narrowly missed the NCAA Tournament. This season’s success has transformed St. John’s into a national story, selling out their last two games at Madison Square Garden and generating Final Four buzz.

With a projected No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament – their highest since 2000 – St. John’s is poised for a deep run in March Madness. But first, they have a championship to claim. “It’s been a great ride, it’s been a great season, and we just want to continue building on to that,” said leading scorer RJ Luis Jr. The game against Seton Hall promises to be a raucous affair, with a packed Madison Square Garden expected to witness a potential historic moment for St. John’s basketball.

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