St. John’s Basketball: Rick Pitino’s Team Turns Season Around with Transfer Impact

NEW YORK — On Monday night at Madison Square Garden, St. John’s Red Storm secured an 87-82 overtime victory against Xavier, marking their 10th consecutive win and a significant milestone for head coach Rick Pitino. The win propelled Pitino past Roy Williams for third place on the NCAA Division I men’s basketball all-time wins list with 904 career victories, trailing only Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Boeheim, according to ESPN.

The victory came with a unique layer of complexity, as Xavier’s head coach is Richard Pitino, Rick Pitino’s son. This was the second time in just over two weeks that the elder Pitino had defeated his son, having previously secured a win on January 22nd at Xavier, 88-83.

But, the Red Storm’s current success represents a dramatic turnaround from earlier this season. Following a 77-71 loss to Providence on January 3rd, the team’s record stood at 9-5, equaling their total losses from the entirety of the previous season. Pitino, speaking after the Providence defeat, described his team as having “our backs to the wall very early in the season.”

At the time, St. John’s struggled with offensive efficiency, ranking 130th nationally in effective field goal percentage, 173rd in turnover rate, and 310th in defensive rebound rate, according to data analysis firm Torvic. Despite assembling a transfer class lauded as one of the nation’s best by 247Sports, the team faced challenges integrating its new players and finding a consistent point guard solution.

A key catalyst in the Red Storm’s resurgence has been the insertion of power forward Dillon Mitchell into the starting lineup immediately after the loss to Providence. Mitchell, a former five-star recruit who previously played at Texas and Cincinnati, has averaged 10.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists since becoming a starter, earning KenPom MVP honors three times during that stretch. He currently ranks among the Big East leaders in offensive and defensive rebounding percentage, and assist rate.

The emergence of Mitchell has complemented the stabilization of Bryce Hopkins, a Providence transfer and former first-team All-Big East performer who was returning from a torn ACL. Hopkins is now averaging 13.8 points and 5.6 rebounds during the winning streak, providing a potent frontcourt presence alongside Mitchell and Zuby Ejiofor, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder.

UConn power forward Alex Karaban acknowledged the impact of St. John’s frontcourt following last week’s upset loss, stating they are “grown-ass men.” The Red Storm’s frontcourt combined for 50 points, 22 rebounds, and 17 fouls drawn in that game, according to CBS News.

Since the January 3rd loss to Providence, St. John’s has climbed to 17th in the latest AP poll and now ranks 17th nationally in offensive efficiency, with a rate of 124.6 points per 100 possessions. This offensive improvement, combined with Pitino’s traditionally strong defensive schemes – currently ranked 19th nationally – has transformed the Red Storm into a legitimate contender.

St. John’s will next face Providence on Saturday, seeking to avenge their earlier loss. Xavier will host Marquette on the same day, following a 66-65 loss to the Golden Eagles on January 7th.