Fifth-Seeded St. John’s to Take on Top-Seeded Duke in NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

Friday, March 27

Washington, D.C. (Capital One Arena)

7:10 p.m.

St. John's University

Duke

St. John's started the game with a 13-0 scoring run

Fifth-Seeded St. John’s to Take on Top-Seeded Duke in NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

3/26/2026 2:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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The Red Storm men’s basketball team will make its first Sweet 16 appearance since 1999 on Friday in Washington, D.C.

QUEENS, N.Y. - For the first time since 1999, the St. John's men's basketball team (30-6) will compete in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 on Friday when it takes on no. 1 overall seed Duke at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

The Red Storm will compete in a loaded East Regional in the nation's capital. Friday will mark St. Johns 10^th all-time appearance in the Sweet 16, where the Johnnies 6-3 and 3-0 since 1985.

The Johnnies and Blue Devils will square off with a berth into the Elite Eight on the line. CBS will carry the national telecast with Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill on the call. Tracy Wolfson will serve as the sideline report. A video stream will be available on March Madness Live.

The LEARFIELD St. John's Radio Network broadcast will be available with John Minko and Brandon Tierney on 1050 AM ESPN New York, the Varsity Network, TuneIn, Sirius XM Channels 201 or 208 and the St. John's Red Storm App. Westwood One Sports will carry the national radio broadcast with Scott Graham and Tom Cream on the call.

For a list of watch parties around New York City and all over the country visit the St. John's Alumni page here.

St. John's is coming off a thrilling victory in the NCAA Tournament Second Round over fourth-seeded Kansas, 67-65. After only trailing for 38 seconds the entire game against the Jayhawks and leading by as many as 14, Kansas tied the game with 13 seconds to go. Dylan Darling proved to be the hero by draining a buzzer-beating lay-up as time expired.

In the postseason, the Johnnies have trailed for only 38 seconds and have led for 194:25 of 200 possible minutes over the last five contests.

Rick Pitino will make his 14^th appearance in the Sweet 16, reaching the round in 14-of-22 (63.6%) of his NCAA Tournament appearances with a high-major program. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer boasts a 12-1 all-time record in the Sweet 16, as his winning percentage of .923 ranks the highest of all-time in NCAA Division I Basketball history.

Friday's matchup features two squads that have both won 21 of their last 22 contests, the best record during that span in NCAA Division I. Duke carries the nation's longest active winning streak having rattled off 13 straight, while St. John's has won eight consecutive contests, dating back to Feb. 28.

During the eight-game winning streak, Zuby Ejiofor is averaging 18.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.1 blocks per game. Ejiofor, a USBWA and AP All-American Honorable Mention selection, has registered eight double-digit scoring performances, three double-doubles and a triple-double during that stretch.

Fellow frontcourt teammate Bryce Hopkins has been on a tear, reaching double-figures in scoring in six straight games. In the last three games, the graduate student has found his stroke from beyond-the-arc shooting 10-for-14 (71.4%). In Sunday's victory over Kansas, the All-BIG EAST Second Team selection set a program NCAA Tournament record with a career-best six 3-pointers, doubling his previous personal best.

St. John's and Duke will meet for the 25^th time and the third time ever in the Big Dance. The 10^th-seeded Johnnies upset the second-seeded Blue Devils on March 11, 1979, in the second round, 80-78, then fell to Duke in the 1991 Elite Eight, 78-61.

Duke (34-2) enters the Sweet 16 after opening weekend wins over Siena and TCU in Greenville, S.C. The Blue Devils reached the Round of 16 for the fourth time in the last five years and 28 times since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

The Blue Devils went 17-1 in ACC play and captured both the ACC Regular Season and Tournament Championships. Duke is led by the USBWA National Freshman of the Year Cameron Boozer, who averages 22.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. The rookie is the only player in NCAA Division I to rank inside in the top-11 in scoring (9^th) and rebounding (11^th).

Friday's contest features two of the most effective defensive units in the country. According to CBB Analytics, St. John's and Duke rank top-two nationally in defensive efficiency over the last 10 games.

The winner of Friday's contest will take on the winner of second-seeded UConn and third-seeded Michigan State on Sunday in the East Regional Final. The four head coaches in the East Regional have combined for 17 Final Four appearances and five National Championships.