PROVIDENCE, R.I. — John Calipari is advancing to the Sweet 16 for the 16th time, marking a particularly special moment in his coaching career. This achievement comes after Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks triumphed over Rick Pitino’s No. 2 seed St. John’s with a 75-66 victory on Saturday. Calipari has now guided his fourth different school to the highly-regarded second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
Key players like Billy Richmond III, who scored 16 points, and Karter Knox, contributing 15 points, played crucial roles for the 10th-seeded Razorbacks. Their path to the Sweet 16 included sending the Kansas team and their esteemed coach Bill Self home early in the tournament. The win against a familiar rival was particularly gratifying for Calipari, considering Arkansas’s challenging start to the season, where they opened the Southeastern Conference schedule with five consecutive losses due to early injuries. Now standing at a 22-13 record, Arkansas will face Texas Tech, the third seed in the West Region semifinals held in San Francisco.
Reflecting on the season, Calipari commented, “This is as rewarding as a year I’ve had, based on how far we’ve come.”
For St. John’s, Zuby Ejiofor’s impressive performance of 23 points and 12 rebounds couldn’t stave off the defeat. The Big East champions completed their season with a 31-5 record. RJ Luis Jr., who had an off game, scoring just nine points compared to his usual season average, struggled with shooting, managing only 3 of 17 from the field.
Pitino accepted the loss with a sportsmanlike attitude, recognizing, “They outplayed us. They deserve to move on, and we don’t. That’s what March Madness is all about.” Pitino’s rich history with Providence, having taken the Friars to the Final Four back in 1987, added a sentimental touch as he participated in March Madness with yet another team, his sixth.
St. John’s had established a formidable reputation with the top-ranked defense in the nation this season. Their return to the tournament as a No. 2 seed, the program’s best in a quarter-century, was attributed to their defensive prowess. Unfortunately, their shooting faltered when it was needed most, making them the first high-seed team (fourth or better) to exit this year’s tournament. “Rick did a good job with his team all year,” acknowledged Calipari. “If they made a few shots, they probably beat us. We were fortunate to get out.”
Overall, the matchup was marred by poor shooting, with the teams collectively making just four 3-pointers out of 41 tries, and St. John’s managing a mere 28% shooting accuracy overall. The disappointment was palpable for Pitino, who expressed his discontent, noting, “I hate to see them go out this way. We thought we were championship-driven in our minds, but I have been disappointed before. You hate to see us play like that.” Despite acknowledging the possibility of losing, he lamented, “It’s just a bitter pill to swallow with that type of performance.”
The game saw Arkansas take a 13-point lead in the first half, which was eventually narrowed down to just two points by St. John’s with only minutes to spare. However, crucial missed 3-point attempts cost St. John’s the chance to overtake. Arkansas held firm, sealing their victory with late free throws from Knox and a Deivon Smith turnover. Celebratory cheers erupted from the court as Arkansas fans reveled in the success of their team’s accomplishment.