Razorbacks Upset Red Storm in Physical NCAA Tournament Battle
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — In a clash of coaching titans and contrasting styles, the No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks emerged victorious over the No. 2 St. John’s Red Storm, securing a 75-66 upset in the second round of the NCAA men’s tournament’s West region. The game, a physical and tightly contested affair, was defined by Arkansas’ resilience and St. John’s struggles from the field.
The highly anticipated matchup between coaching legends John Calipari of Arkansas and Rick Pitino of St. John’s lived up to its billing as a grind-it-out battle. The game was punctuated by frequent whistles, with the two teams combining for a staggering 44 personal fouls and 58 free-throw attempts. Ultimately, it was Arkansas’ ability to withstand St. John’s intense, pressure-oriented style of play that proved to be the difference.
St. John’s, known for their offensive firepower, uncharacteristically struggled to find the basket. The Red Storm shot a dismal 28% from the field and an even more woeful 2 of 22 from beyond the arc. Arkansas’ length and athleticism disrupted St. John’s offensive flow, forcing them into difficult shots and turnovers. The Razorbacks’ defense effectively neutralized St. John’s typically potent perimeter game.
With the victory, Arkansas advances to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in the past five seasons, a testament to the program’s consistent success. They now await the winner of the matchup between No. 3 Texas and No. 11 Drake, setting the stage for another compelling contest with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line.
Playing in Providence, Rhode Island, roughly three hours from St. John’s campus, the Red Storm enjoyed a significant home-court advantage with a boisterous pro-St. John’s crowd. However, the energy of the crowd couldn’t overcome the team’s offensive struggles. St. John’s missed their first eight 3-point attempts, falling behind 22-14 early in the first half.
Despite the early deficit, St. John’s briefly rallied, taking a 28-27 lead. But Arkansas responded with a 7-0 run to close the half, taking a 35-32 lead into the locker room.
The first half was a microcosm of St. John’s offensive woes, as they shot just 10 of 42 from the field and only 1 of 13 from 3-point range. Arkansas’ size and length around the basket clearly presented a significant challenge for the Red Storm. St. John’s did manage to stay within striking distance thanks to 14 offensive rebounds, which led to 11 second-chance points. Arkansas, while not stellar, shot slightly better at 12 of 32, including 2 of 12 from 3-point range.
Arkansas extended their lead early in the second half, converting layups on four consecutive possessions to take a 42-33 advantage. A traditional three-point play by forward Jonas Aidoo gave the Razorbacks their first double-digit lead at 49-38 with 14:38 remaining. The lead ballooned to 55-42 with 11:32 left, seemingly putting Arkansas in firm control.
However, St. John’s refused to go down without a fight. A quick run trimmed the score to 55-49 just a minute later, injecting life back into the Red Storm and their fans.
Arkansas demonstrated their composure and responded to the St. John’s surge, maintaining a 61-53 lead with eight minutes to play. After the Red Storm narrowed the gap to 62-60 on a pair of free throws with 6:11 remaining, the Razorbacks traded baskets before D.J. Wagner’s layup extended the lead to 70-64 with just two minutes left.
In the closing seconds, Arkansas sealed the victory at the free-throw line, converting five of six attempts to secure the 75-66 win.
Adding to St. John’s challenges, foul trouble plagued key players in the second half. Guards Kadary Richmond and Simeon Wilcher were both sidelined with four fouls apiece for significant stretches. The two struggled offensively, scoring a combined 7 points on 3 of 12 shooting. Richmond eventually fouled out with 6:28 to go, further hampering St. John’s comeback efforts.
Billy Richmond III led Arkansas in scoring with 16 points, while Karter Knox added 15. Freshman guard Boogie Fland, in his second game back from a hand injury suffered in January, contributed six points, four rebounds, and two assists.
For St. John’s, forward Zuby Ejiofor was a bright spot, scoring 23 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
The game marked the 30th meeting between Pitino and Calipari, two of the most accomplished coaches in college basketball history. Calipari now holds a 17-13 edge in the series. Five of their matchups have occurred in the NCAA Tournament, including memorable clashes in the 1996 and 2012 national semifinals.
The two Hall of Fame coaches have battled for regional and national supremacy at various stops throughout their careers, most notably during their time in the heated rivalry between Louisville (Pitino) and Kentucky (Calipari), where Pitino had previously won a national championship. Combined, they have guided teams to 13 Final Four appearances and three national titles.
Calipari, in his first season at Arkansas, becomes just the second Razorbacks coach to lead the team to the tournament in his debut season, and the first to reach the Sweet 16. This is his 16th trip to the Sweet 16 overall, his first since 2019, and comes after a relatively disappointing stretch of just one tournament win in his final five seasons at Kentucky.
For St. John’s, the loss brings an end to what had been a remarkable turnaround in Pitino’s second season at the helm. After a challenging 2023-24 season, which Pitino described as "the most unenjoyable experience" of his career, St. John’s captured an outright Big East championship for the first time since 1985 and achieved 30 wins for the first time since 1986.
St. John’s had previously struggled in the first half of their opening-round game against No. 15 Nebraska-Omaha before pulling away after halftime for an 83-53 victory. They faced a similar challenge against Arkansas but were ultimately unable to find that higher gear coming out of halftime, resulting in their season coming to an end. The Razorbacks’ defense proved to be too much, and St. John’s couldn’t overcome their poor shooting performance.
