Overview
- Tipoff is noon ET at Madison Square Garden on FS1, with streaming available via Sling and Fubo.
- Rick Pitino urged fans on X to “rock the Garden” for Alabama, which he called the nation’s most unique team for its rapid-shot tempo.
- St. John’s guard Dylan Darling has been managing a right calf strain and practiced Friday after spending the week in a walking boot, leaving his status to monitor.
- Both teams opened 1-0, with St. John’s routing Quinnipiac 108-74 behind a transfer-fueled lineup and Alabama beating North Dakota 91-62 behind Labaron Philon Jr.
- Pitino stacked a challenging nonconference slate featuring Alabama, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Iowa State and Baylor to expose weaknesses before Big East play.