NEW YORK — On a night that felt like March came early, St. John’s pulled off a dramatic comeback against cross‑town rival Seton Hall, rallying from a 15‑point second‑half deficit to win 65‑60 Tuesday at Madison Square Garden and give Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino his 899th career victory.
Trailing 38‑32 at halftime and buried by a dominant Pirate run early in the second half, the Red Storm flipped the script with stout defense, timely rebounding and a surge of energy that overwhelmed Seton Hall down the stretch. St. John’s improved to 14‑5 overall and 7‑1 in the Big East, keeping its momentum rolling with its fifth straight victory. Seton Hall fell to 14‑5 and 4‑4 in conference play with its third consecutive loss.
Senior forward Dillon Mitchell led the way with 17 points and 11 rebounds, pacing the Red Storm attack and finishing the night with his second consecutive double‑double. Fellow forward Bryce Hopkins added 13 points and eight rebounds, providing a physical presence on both ends of the floor as St. John’s chipped away at the deficit. Ryan Daly and Dylan Darling both made key contributions in the comeback, sparking runs and providing crucial baskets when the Red Storm needed them most.
Seton Hall’s A.J. Staton‑McCray scored 16 points to lead the Pirates, but the rest of the lineup struggled to maintain efficiency against a St. John’s defense that tightened and forced mistakes in the final 16 minutes. The Pirates shot just 28 percent in the second half and missed several key looks when the game was on the line, inability that swung the game firmly in the Red Storm’s favor.
Down 15 with just over 15 minutes to play, St. John’s ripped off a decisive 33‑13 run to close the contest, powering a comeback that was as entertaining as it was improbable. The Garden crowd — already electric for this storied rivalry — erupted as the momentum shifted and stayed fully with the home team.
For Pitino, the win marked another chapter in a historic career and sets up a unique storyline this weekend, when the Red Storm visits Xavier — coached by his son Richard — with a chance to notch win No. 900. The prospect of a father‑against‑son showdown adds a layer of narrative rarely seen in college basketball and illustrates just how memorable St. John’s season has become.
This gritty win speaks to the resilience this version of the Red Storm has shown through the first half of Big East play. St. John’s has not only climbed toward the top of the league standings but done so by grinding through adversity and finding timely contributions from all corners of the roster.
Tuesday’s comeback will long be remembered by fans and players alike not just for the stakes or the rivalry but for its dramatic arc — a 15‑point hole turned into a five‑point roadblock for Seton Hall. For a program that has quietly re‑established itself as a force under Pitino, it was the sort of performance that defines seasons and builds belief.
For now, St. John’s will savor this thrilling win at the Garden, celebrate its continued rise and look ahead to an unprecedented matchup that could send Rick Pitino into rarified air with a milestone victory. In the wild, unpredictable world of college basketball, stories like this are exactly why the sport captivates — and why this Red Storm team is so fun to watch.
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