PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Over four months ago, this unexpected journey began with a 32-point throttling of Fordham at Carnesecca Arena.
It was similar to many openers through the years: A one-sided victory over an overmatched opponent and the feeling that anything was possible.
Almost always, disappointment followed in Queens.
Not this year. Not this winter.
St. John’s fans were instead treated to a season they have waited nearly forever for, a campaign in which the Johnnies didn’t let them down.
They shocked those loyalists.
They kept on winning, claiming the school’s first outright Big East regular-season crown since 1985 and winning its first Big East Tournament in 25 years.
RJ Luis Jr. became the first St. John’s player to be named the league’s Player of the Year since Walter Berry in 1986.
Zuby Ejiofor developed into a star.
Kadary Richmond played up to his ranking as the top player to enter the transfer portal.
It has led up to this point: A chance to keep playing.
To punch a ticket to the Sweet 16, to become the first St. John’s team to advance to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament since Ron Artest, Bootsy Thornton and that Mike Jarvis-led group reached the Elite Eight in 1999.
CHECK OUT THE LATEST BIG EAST STANDINGS AND ST. JOHN’S STATS
“I guess I’m a little excited, surprised at the season,” coach Rick Pitino said on Friday at Amica Mutual Pavilion, where his second-seeded Johnnies will meet longtime coaching rival John Calipari and No. 10 Arkansas on Saturday afternoon. “You never know what it’s going to be like going into it because these are uncharted waters.
“I was really excited about last year’s team at the end of the year and then suddenly we just kept winning [this year], getting better, fighting, fighting. We had a lot of close games. We won at the buzzer with no time left on the clock [in this building]. It’s just been a great run. We have had a lot of excitement.”
The hope is that it doesn’t end here, that St. John’s (31-4) can get past the talented, yet inconsistent, Razorbacks.
It won’t be easy.
Arkansas (21-13) is coming off an impressive win over No. 7 Kansas, and has the size and athleticism that can give the Red Storm trouble.
They have gone 10-6 since starting 0-5 in SEC play, and five of those losses came to tournament teams, all five setbacks determined by single figures.
Arkansas just got back five-star freshman Boogie Fland from a thumb injury against Kansas, and leading scorer Adou Thiero could play in this matchup, though Calipari played his status close to the vest.
“I mean, the kid will try to convince me,” Calipari said. “You gotta be able to go in there and help and Boogie was able to do it. But I have seen crazier things.”
The start will be key. St. John’s has made a habit out of rallying from deficits, winning five times this season when trailing by 14 points or more.
They weren’t sharp early in their opening-round rout of Omaha.
Arkansas is a different animal.
“We can’t have that kind of start [Saturday],” Richmond said.
St. John’s isn’t ready for the ride to end.
This may be the last college game for Richmond, Aaron Scott and Deivon Smith.
Luis could go pro.
After Thursday’s victory, Ejiofor noted that this was just the first of possibly six steps to the ultimate goal of a national championship.
“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. Everybody wants to play basketball in March,” the junior forward said. “It’s a time where you get to create memories — long-lasting memories — with your teammates. It’s the best of my life so far and I’m just looking to keep going forward.”
He paused, then added: “Nobody wants to go home, especially with the amount of seniors we have on the team. Nobody wants their season to end, definitely not me or anybody on this team. It’s really important we set the tone early.”
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