This used to be St. John’s role in the Big East Tournament.
Play well in the out-bracket round and hope to pull a stunner in the opener on quarterfinal Thursday. Sometimes, the Johnnies were blitzed out of the gate. Other times, they suffered crushing last-second losses.
But this — the No. 1 seed — is different.
It, however, seems to suit Rick Pitino’s team just fine. It played the part of the favorite to a tee, leading from wire to wire in a thorough 78-57 throttling of ninth-seeded Butler. Friday night, it will play for a spot in the tournament title game against the No. 4 Xavier/No. 5 Marquette winner.
St. John’s raced out to an early 15-point lead and cruised to its 10th win in as many tries at the Garden. It was hardly tested by Butler, which pushed the Red Storm in two close games during the regular season. This had a very different feel.
Kadary Richmond of St. John’s shoots against Butler in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals on March 13, 2025. Robert Sabo for NY Post
St. John’s guard RJ Luis drives to the basket against Butler in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals on March 13, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Butler was as close as eight early in the second half, but St. John’s answered with a 10-0 run. It was extended garbage time, as Marv Albert would say, the rest of the way.
The Johnnies (28-4) led by as many as 23 points and Pitino went deep into his bench. A day after he became St. John’s first Big East Player of the Year in 39 years, RJ Luis scored 20 points to go along with seven rebounds. Kadary Richmond (nine assists, eight rebounds) and Aaron Scott added 15 points apiece and the Johnnies throttled Butler in the paint, 44-18. Butler’s star wings, Jahmyl Telfort and Pierre Brooks, were meanwhile held to 16 points on 4-of-20 shooting.
It was a start that even the demanding Pitino had to be thrilled with. Just 7:35 in, St. John’s held an 18-3 lead. It had scored 13 straight points. Butler had committed more turnovers (four) than points scored.
St. John’s coach Rick Pitino during the Big East quarterfinal against Butler on March 13, 2025. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Thad Matta was forced to reinsert his foul-plagued star Telfort. He helped settle the Bulldogs somewhat. They trailed by 11 at halftime, although the gap felt larger. At halftime, the Johnnies were plus-seven on the glass, plus-12 in points in the paint and plus-six in second-chance points.
The lead quickly grew to 18, on the strength of a 10-0 St. John’s burst, after the intermission. Turnovers and missed shots led to run outs and easy baskets. From that point on, it was formality.
