Honestly, if you looked at the scoreboard during the 2025 NCAA Tournament and saw St. John’s up by 30 on the Omaha Mavericks, you probably just figured it was another Big East powerhouse bullying a mid-major. Just business as usual, right?
Not exactly.
That 83-53 scoreline was a bit of a lie. For about fifteen minutes in Providence, Rick Pitino looked like he was about to have a very bad, very public heart attack. Omaha, making their first-ever trip to the Big Dance after winning the Summit League, came out like they hadn't heard they were 18-point underdogs. They punched first. Hard.
The 7-0 Start That Froze the Red Storm
Most people forget that Omaha actually led this game. JJ White, their senior guard, hit three early triples that forced Pitino to burn a timeout faster than he usually burns a bridge at a former coaching stop. It was 7-0. Then it was 14-8. St. John's looked slow. They looked like they were still asleep in their hotel rooms at the Amica Mutual Pavilion.
The Mavericks weren't just lucky; they were disciplined. Coach Chris Crutchfield had them playing a sagging man-to-man that dared the Red Storm to shoot from deep. And for a while, St. John’s couldn’t buy a bucket.
Why the Red Storm Finally Broke the Game Open
What changed? Basically, RJ Luis Jr. happened.
You've gotta realize that Pitino’s system is built on a specific type of conditioning. He calls it "Phase Three" for a reason. While Omaha was playing out of their minds, they were also playing at a pace that no Summit League team is prepared to handle for 40 minutes.
- RJ Luis Jr. went nuclear, hitting a career-high five 3-pointers.
- Kadary Richmond played like the grown man he is, racking up 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists.
- Zuby Ejiofor basically turned the paint into a "no-fly zone," recording three blocks that seemed to suck the soul out of Omaha’s interior offense.
By the time the second half rolled around, the Mavericks were gassed. They shot 20.6% from the floor in the final 20 minutes. You can't beat a high-school team shooting 20%, let alone a Pitino-led squad that was clicking on all cylinders. St. John's went on a 50-25 run to close it out. It wasn't a game anymore; it was a track meet where one team was wearing lead boots.
The "Omaha Problem" for Big East Teams
There’s this weird misconception that Omaha is a pushover because they aren't a "name" brand. But if you follow the betting lines or the deeper analytics, Omaha has actually been a cover-machine.
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Before the tournament loss, they had played some tight games against high-level competition. They beat St. John's—yes, actually beat them—back on New Year’s Eve in 2024. It was a 57-56 rock fight in Omaha where the Red Storm looked completely lost in the cornfields. That win is actually what put Omaha on the map for the 2025 season.
It's sorta funny how the narrative shifts. After the tournament blowout, everyone talked about St. John’s being back. But Omaha’s season was arguably more impressive. They finished 22-13 and proved that the gap between the top of the Summit League and the middle of the Big East is way smaller than the ESPN pundits want you to believe.
The Pitino Factor: More Than Just Suits and Screaming
Rick Pitino is 73 years old. He's been coaching for over 50 years. You’d think he’d be tired, but the dude was more animated in the St. John's vs Omaha matchup than players half his age.
He’s admitted recently that he’s having "the most fun" he’s ever had. Why? Because the pressure of "moving up the ladder" is gone. He’s already at the top. This version of Pitino is dangerous because he’s playing with house money. He’s taking transfers like Kadary Richmond (from Seton Hall) and Deivon Smith (from Utah) and turning them into a cohesive unit that plays with a terrifying level of intensity.
What This Means for the Future of Both Programs
If you’re a St. John's fan, that Omaha win was the "proof of concept" game. It showed that the Red Storm could handle the pressure of being a high seed—something they haven't had to do in a long time. It snapped a drought; it was their first NCAA win since defeating Northern Arizona in 2000.
For Omaha, the loss sucked, sure. But being on that stage changed their recruiting floor. Crutchfield has shown he can build a roster that competes with the giants.
What you should do next:
If you’re looking to follow these teams into the next season, keep a close eye on the transfer portal. St. John’s is losing some heavy hitters, but Pitino usually reloads faster than anyone in the country.
- Check the 2026 Non-Conference Schedule: See if Omaha gets another crack at a Big East opponent. They play better when they have a chip on their shoulder.
- Watch the "Pitino Effect" on Freshman: Keep an eye on guys like Ruben Prey and Lefteris Liotopoulos. They were the ones hitting late shots in the Omaha game, and they’re the future of the program.
- Monitor the Betting Lines: Omaha is historically undervalued in non-conference road games. Don't let the 30-point tournament loss fool you; they are usually a much tougher out than the box score suggests.
The rivalry—if you can call it that—isn't about geography. It's about two programs at completely different stages of their life cycles meeting at a crossroads. One is a blue blood trying to reclaim its throne, and the other is a hungry upstart trying to prove they belong in the same room.