The 2024-25 season was an necessary one for the St. John’s basketball program. They gained the Huge East championship for the primary time in 25 years, returned to relevance on a nationwide stage and established an id beneath an all-time nice coach — Rick Pitino — that ought to make them a drive within the coming seasons.
They’re again on the map.
Their magical season ended on Saturday within the Spherical of 32 after they had been on the shedding finish of a 75-66 resolution towards No. 10 seed Arkansas.
It was not a shock as to what in the end did them in.
They merely couldn’t make their pictures.
St. John’s shot simply 28% from the sphere (21-of-75) and solely 9% (2-of-22) from three-point vary.
No person was resistant to the struggles, together with Huge East Participant of the 12 months RJ Luis Jr., who completed the sport on the bench after capturing 3-of-17 from the sphere.
None of this could have been an excessive amount of of a shock for anyone who’s watched this St. John’s staff all season. For all of their strengths defensively, and for all of their grit and toughness that helped outline the tradition of the roster, they had been a persistently poor capturing staff all season. Particularly from deep.
The Crimson Storm completed the season one hundred and fifty fifth within the nation in general subject aim share (45.1%) and 333rd (30.8%) from three-point vary.
If there was an Achilles heel with this staff, that was it.
It confirmed itself on the worst attainable staff on Saturday.
That must be the first focus for Pitino going into the offseason and in preparation for subsequent season. Particularly now that the brand new normal has been set for this system the place profitable is once more going to turn into the expectation. Their model of play this season labored nice all common season and all through the Huge East event. However when the competitors will get harder deep into the event, and when each recreation turns into one towards a top-tier staff, toughness and protection are solely going to take you up to now. At that time, you must make some pictures.
