Providence St. John’s Big East Tournament quarterfinal ends 85-72

NEW YORK, N.Y. — The Providence St. John’s Big East Tournament quarterfinal ended Thursday with St. John’s defeating Providence 85-72 at Madison Square Garden, eliminating the Friars from the conference tournament after the Red Storm built a commanding first-half lead.

Providence entered the game one day after its opening-round win over Butler, knowing it likely needed a deep tournament run to keep its NCAA hopes alive. Instead, the Friars struggled early and trailed 48-27 at halftime, putting them in a difficult spot against the tournament’s top seed. 

St. John’s controls the game early

St. John’s set the tone from the start and never let Providence get comfortable. The Red Storm dominated the glass 47-29 and outscored the Friars 46-36 in the paint, two major factors in the outcome.

Providence also could not match its outside shooting from the Butler game. After hitting 14 three-pointers the night before, the Friars finished just 5 for 14 from beyond the arc against St. John’s. 

Zuby Ejiofor leads Red Storm past Friars

Zuby Ejiofor led St. John’s with 21 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and three blocks. Former Friar Bryce Hopkins finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds, while Oziyah Sellers and Ian Jackson both scored 14 points.

Stefan Vaaks lead the Friars with 23 points and 5 rebounds, while Jaylin Sellers chipped in 21 points and 6 rebounds.

The loss dropped Providence to 15-18, while St. John’s improved to 26-6 and moved on to the Big East semifinals.

Rick Pitino faced his former program

Thursday’s game also brought a familiar storyline. St. John’s coach Rick Pitino previously coached Providence and led the Friars to the 1987 Final Four before leaving for the NBA. 

With the loss, Providence’s season is likely finished unless it receives an unexpected postseason invitation elsewhere. St. John’s, meanwhile, remains alive in its pursuit of the Big East title.