Pitino (L) Sat Luis (R) For The Last 4:56 In Loss
By Samori Benjamin
St John’s season came to a crashing end last Saturday afternoon as they lost 76-66 to the University of Arkansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. St John’s was the #2 seed in the West Region but the #10 seed Razorbacks were more talented, with a bunch of blue-chip players led by their head coach John Calipari. The story of the game was how they got nothing from their two headline players Kadary Richmond and Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis Jr,. Luis Jr. made just 3 of 14 shots and was benched by St John’s head coach Rick Pitino for the last 4:56 minutes of the second half. Richmond, who is St John’s point guard, spent most of the game on the bench due foul trouble.
“They were very athletic, they played a great game, they took away a lot from what we do,” Pitino said after the game. “Foul trouble certainly hurt us but they were the better team, they outplayed us and they deserve to move on and we don’t. That is what March Madness is all about. Sometimes no matter how great of a regular season you have you play this way and you’re going to get beat.”
Said RJ of having to watch the rest of the game from the bench, “I let my teammates down,” he began. I should have been more of a leader.”
The St. John’s Red Storm had high hopes entering the tournament after winning the Big East regular season title and then following that up with winning the Big East tournament. The loss to Arkansas will sting until they get back in the gyn next season.
Sports Editor Andrew Rosario contributed to this article.
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