St. John’s, the local squad we’ve been riding with all tournament, delivered a moment to remember.
The Johnnies punched their ticket to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999, stunning No. 4 Kansas with a gritty 67–65 win that had everything: toughness, poise, and a finish built for March.
And let’s be honest, maybe we should’ve seen this coming.
After taking down East Region No. 2 UConn in the Big East Tournament, St. John’s still somehow landed as a No. 5 seed. That raised some eyebrows… and now it looks like a serious miscalculation.
The hero? Idaho State transfer Dylan Darling.
With the clock bleeding out, Darling slashed to the rim and softly kissed a runner off the glass as time expired for his only basket of the game and cue the eruption.
Now it gets even bigger.
Rick Pitino leads St. Johns into a Friday night showdown in D.C. with No. 1 Duke. On paper, it’s a tall task, but this Duke team hasn’t exactly looked invincible. If St. John’s brings that same defensive edge and finds a rhythm offensively, don’t be shocked if the Johnnies crash the party again.
Meanwhile, the other East Regional semifinal features No. 2 UConn vs. No. 3 Michigan State, setting up the very real possibility of a Big East Tournament rematch with even higher stakes.
March is delivering… and St. John’s is right in the middle of it.