St. John's University Athletics
NCAA Selection Committee Ranks St. John’s No. 16 in March Madness Bracket Preview
2/15/2025 12:50:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee unveiled its in-season top-16 seeds for March Madness on Saturday
QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John's men's basketball team was ranked No. 16 in the first edition of the current top-16 seeds for the 2025 NCAA Tournament, the selection committee unveiled on Saturday afternoon live on CBS.
Just four weeks away from Selection Sunday, the committee released the top-four seed lines for the bracket to this point. Led by Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Pitino, the Red Storm was the only BIG EAST school selected in the top-16 ranking.
The Johnnies hold a 21-4 overall record and carry a 12-2 mark in BIG EAST play, which is the top mark in the conference standings. St. John's strung together 10-straight BIG EAST wins from Jan. 4 to Feb. 7, the program's longest conference win streak since 1984-85 when the Johnnies advanced to the NCAA Tournament Final Four.
The Red Storm holds a perfect 15-0 record at home and has captured 17 consecutive regular season victories in New York City dating back to last season, the longest active streak in NCAA Division I. St. John's has also won 11 of its 15 home games this season by double-figures.
The Johnnies have earned three NCAA NET Quad 1 wins on the year, including a pair last week in back-to-back ranked victories over then-No. 11/11 Marquette and at then-No. 19/18 UConn. All four of St. John's losses fall under Quad 1 and have come by a combined seven points, the lowest cumulative margin of defeat in the country this season. In Quad 2-4 games, the Johnnies boast an undefeated 18-0 record.
Pitino, who holds a track record of success in second year turnarounds, looks to bring the Johnnies back to the Big Dance for the first time since 2019. It would mark the 24th NCAA Tournament appearance of his decorated career. Pitino holds a 54-21 (.720) overall record in the NCAA Tournament, the third-highest winning percentage among all active coaches. The Hall of Famer has guided five schools to the Big Dance, made seven final fours and won two National Championships at Kentucky (1996) and Louisville (2013).
"It would mean a lot to us, the whole staff, the community and it's something that we've been working for the whole season," said junior forward Zuby Ejiofor when asked about being included the top-16 rankings. "We are trying to improve from last year and just trying to go as far as possible. We're taking it one game at a time."
The selection committee will release a top-16 seed list every Saturday leading up to the 2025 NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Sunday, March 16 at 6 p.m. ET on CBS.
No. 9/8 St. John's will be back in action on Sunday when it takes on No. 24/21 Creighton at Madison Square Garden at 3 p.m. on FS1.
Just four weeks away from Selection Sunday, the committee released the top-four seed lines for the bracket to this point. Led by Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Pitino, the Red Storm was the only BIG EAST school selected in the top-16 ranking.
The Johnnies hold a 21-4 overall record and carry a 12-2 mark in BIG EAST play, which is the top mark in the conference standings. St. John's strung together 10-straight BIG EAST wins from Jan. 4 to Feb. 7, the program's longest conference win streak since 1984-85 when the Johnnies advanced to the NCAA Tournament Final Four.
The Red Storm holds a perfect 15-0 record at home and has captured 17 consecutive regular season victories in New York City dating back to last season, the longest active streak in NCAA Division I. St. John's has also won 11 of its 15 home games this season by double-figures.
The Johnnies have earned three NCAA NET Quad 1 wins on the year, including a pair last week in back-to-back ranked victories over then-No. 11/11 Marquette and at then-No. 19/18 UConn. All four of St. John's losses fall under Quad 1 and have come by a combined seven points, the lowest cumulative margin of defeat in the country this season. In Quad 2-4 games, the Johnnies boast an undefeated 18-0 record.
Pitino, who holds a track record of success in second year turnarounds, looks to bring the Johnnies back to the Big Dance for the first time since 2019. It would mark the 24th NCAA Tournament appearance of his decorated career. Pitino holds a 54-21 (.720) overall record in the NCAA Tournament, the third-highest winning percentage among all active coaches. The Hall of Famer has guided five schools to the Big Dance, made seven final fours and won two National Championships at Kentucky (1996) and Louisville (2013).
"It would mean a lot to us, the whole staff, the community and it's something that we've been working for the whole season," said junior forward Zuby Ejiofor when asked about being included the top-16 rankings. "We are trying to improve from last year and just trying to go as far as possible. We're taking it one game at a time."
The selection committee will release a top-16 seed list every Saturday leading up to the 2025 NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Sunday, March 16 at 6 p.m. ET on CBS.
No. 9/8 St. John's will be back in action on Sunday when it takes on No. 24/21 Creighton at Madison Square Garden at 3 p.m. on FS1.
Players Mentioned
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