The March Madness journey for St. John”s came to a heartbreaking conclusion in the Sweet 16, as they fell to the Duke Blue Devils by a score of 80-75. The game, held at Capital One Arena in Washington, showcased remarkable performances from Duke”s Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans, alongside a surprising contribution from Caleb Foster, who played well after recovering from a fractured right foot.
This marked the first time in 27 years that St. John”s reached the Sweet 16, and as a fifth seed, they showed resilience and determination throughout their tournament run. They led by 10 points early in the second half, demonstrating their capability to challenge the top-seeded Blue Devils. Despite a strong showing, they could not secure the upset.
Coach Rick Pitino praised his team”s effort, stating, “Our guys played with great heart. They made some defensive mistakes down the stretch, but that”s a credit to Duke. We had our moments in the game. We fought hard all season. We”re all very disappointed we don”t have a chance to win a national championship, but that”s a credit to Duke.”
St. John”s looked poised to pull off a major upset, as they connected on 13 three-pointers and held a two-point lead with just under five minutes remaining. However, Duke responded with ten successful shots out of their last thirteen attempts, shooting an impressive 57.1 percent in the second half. A critical three-pointer from Evans with 3:54 left put Duke ahead for good, followed by a three-point play from Boozer that extended their lead.
As the clock dwindled, St. John”s had a chance to tie the game, but Dylan Darling”s potential game-tying three fell short, sealing their fate. Dillon Mitchell reflected on the loss, stating, “You can”t have mistakes like that at this time of the year, and it cost us. It cost us the game. It cost us our season.”
Foster, who had only recently returned from injury, contributed significantly with 11 points in the second half without turning the ball over. Evans led all scorers with 25 points, while Boozer added 22 points, including 13 in the second half. St. John”s Zuby Ejiofor led his team with 17 points, alongside Bryce Hopkins and Mitchell, who added 15 and 13 points, respectively.
The emotional aftermath of the game saw several players in tears, with Ejiofor unable to complete the press conference due to the weight of the loss. The season was a memorable one for St. John”s, who started the year at 9-5 before rallying to win the Big East regular-season title for the second consecutive year and defeating rival Connecticut in the Big East Tournament final.
Looking ahead, St. John”s coach Pitino is expected to return, and with a solid core of players likely returning, including Prey, Darling, and Joson Sanon, the Red Storm will aim to reload through the transfer portal. While this year”s squad fell just short of the Final Four, the journey to the Sweet 16 will be a cherished memory for all involved.
