From Jitters to Juggernaut: St. John’s Turns Panic Into a 93–60 Statement

By Jason Safford | Relentless Redstorm

The first half felt wrong.

It felt tight.
Messy.
Like the ghost of Alabama still sat in the rafters.

Fans wanted a runaway show.
Needed a flex.
Demanded the powerhouse Pitino promised.

Instead, they got a team searching for itself.

And Rick Pitino felt it too.

After the game, Pitino said it flat:
“We didn’t play well in the first half. We didn’t guard the three at all. We looked soft.”

Soft.
That word hung heavy, because everybody in the building saw it.

William & Mary kept firing threes.
They tied the game.
Hit big shots.
Played loose while St. John’s looked stiff.

Carnesecca Arena felt tight…
and not because of the score.

It was the question in every fan’s mind:

Is this really the team that’s supposed to become a national problem?

Darling Takes the Wheel

Just when the unease felt thick enough to touch,
Dylan Darling stepped into the light.

Poised.
Steady.
Calm like he knew the answers before the questions.

Pitino beamed when asked about him:

“Darling was terrific. He’s smart. He’s tough. He defends. He was the difference tonight.”

You could feel that truth.

He hit shots.
Pushed the break.
Stripped the ball and turned defense into fuel.
He steadied every shaky moment.

In a game begging for a leader, Darling became one.

13 points.
5 rebounds.
4 steals.
And the heartbeat St. John’s needed.

He didn’t get loud.
Not flashy.
But he stood up as the adult in the room.

A rare young player with an old man’s poise.

Hopkins and Ejiofor Hold the Walls Up

While Darling guided the ship, Bryce Hopkins kept the offense alive.

He drove hard.
Powered through contact.
Scored when St. John’s couldn’t find breath.

Pitino said it like a man relieved:

“Hopkins played a very good game. Much better decisions. Much better effort.”

And Zuby Ejiofor?
Backbone.

Rebounded in traffic.
Defended the rim.
Kept possessions alive when the offense stalled.

Pitino praised him with the kind of tone that signals trust:

“Zuby was excellent. He’s getting better. He’s doing the things we need from him.”

Hopkins scored.
Ejiofor stabilized.
Darling directed.

Those three kept St. John’s from getting swallowed by doubt.

Halftime Demand

At halftime, Pitino did not hide his frustration.
You could hear the edge in his voice even an hour later.

“I told them… we’re not playing St. John’s basketball. We’re not defending. We’re not running. We’re not aggressive.”

Then the second half started.

And everything changed.

Darling hit a layup.
Hopkins powered inside.
Ejiofor hammered a putback.

The lead swelled.
The building roared.
Fear vanished.

Pitino said the turning point came from one simple commitment:

“We pressed. We ran. We forced turnovers. That’s who we have to be.”

And they became that team.

Fast.
Hungry.
Relentless.

The Storm Arrives

The Red Storm ripped the game wide open with a run that felt like fireworks.

Sellers nailed threes.
Sanon attacked downhill.
Mitchell turned steals into dunks.
Jackson flew down the wings with fury.

Every stop fed the break.
Each steal lit the crowd.
Another bucket felt like a thunderclap.

Pitino pointed right to it:

“Our defense won the game. Once we defended, everything opened up.”

And the score reflected that truth.

St. John’s didn’t just win.
They crushed.
Dominated.
Delivered a message.

93–60.
A 30-point swing that felt like a weight lifted off the program’s chest.

Temperature Check

After the game, Pitino didn’t celebrate.

He evaluated.
Calibrated.
Then he drew a line in the sand.

“We’re not there yet. Not even close. But tonight, in the second half, we showed the effort we need. The pressure. The speed. The attitude.”

Then he smiled. A small, knowing smile. And said the words fans needed:

“If we play like that second half, we can be a great basketball team.”

That “if” echoed through the Arena.

Because that’s the truth.

This team has the players.
Overflows with talent.
Enjoys the length, speed, and firepower.

Tonight showed the promise.

But the first half showed the floor.

The Real Story of the Night

This wasn’t about blowing out William & Mary.

This was about watching a team wobble…
then find its legs…
And finally unleash a storm loud enough to shake the doubt out of the season.

Fans felt the fear.
Rode the rollercoaster.
Touched the ignition point in real time.

Then they saw the shift.

For the first time since the season began,
St. John’s played like the juggernaut Pitino expects.

Not for forty minutes.
But long enough to show the blueprint.

Enough to make you lean forward again.
A moment to make you believe again.
Ample time to make you say:

“If they lock in… this team can be scary.”

Tonight wasn’t perfection.
Not arrival.

Tonight was revelation.

A glimpse of what this roster becomes when effort meets identity.

The hint of the powerhouse waiting behind the inconsistency.

Promise that the fury inside the storm is forming.

And when it hits full strength,
the Big East better have an emergency plan.

Final: St. John’s 93, William & Mary 60
Record: St. John’s (3–1)

Top Performers:

• Dylan Darling – 13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals

• Bryce Hopkins – 15 points

• Zuby Ejiofor – 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists

• Oziyah Sellers – 13 points

• Joson Sanon – 15 points

Key Stats:

• 54 points in the paint

• 24 points off turnovers

• 30-point second-half swing

• 43–36 rebounding edge

• 24 fast-break points

• Held W&M to 36% in 2nd half

Turning Point:
Opening 8–0 burst to start the second half, ignited by Darling, Hopkins, and Ejiofor. Flipped control and opened the floodgates.

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