Overview
- St. John’s fell 77-71 to Providence at Madison Square Garden after unraveling in the final minutes, a setback classified as a Quad 3 loss.
- Rick Pitino labeled the team’s issues as “frailties,” shifting from earlier praise to a pointed challenge about toughness and grit.
- All five Red Storm losses have come after holding second-half leads, underscoring persistent closing problems in tight games.
- The roster lacks a dependable late-game closer as Bryce Hopkins slumps, Joson Sanon struggles to create, and Ian Jackson continues learning point guard duties.
- Zuby Ejiofor has been the standout and drew late double-teams, while a 1-4 mark in Quad 1 games and zero AP Top 25 votes heighten the stakes at Butler on Tuesday and Creighton on Saturday.