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00:00We're on a great run, but we can't let it stop.
00:28They are a terrific team as far as how hard they play.
00:32You can't tell, we're already one of the big,
00:34no, we need this game badly.
00:36I'm telling you, we need it badly.
00:39With the Red Storm already regular season champions,
00:42Coach Pitino still sees this final conference game
00:45against 20th-ranked Marquette as a must-win
00:48because a loss now could break their momentum
00:50just as the Big East tournament
00:52and the seedings for March Madness loom.
00:54This is the NCAA tournament right now.
00:58One mishap like that, it's over, it's over.
01:01It just ends abruptly.
01:04So what stops that?
01:06All the little things stop that.
01:10I don't want to see one player hang his head,
01:13look at the referee.
01:14You just keep playing, you just keep shooting, playing hard.
01:17We are playing for seeds.
01:20We want to be a two-seed.
01:21We want to win this game, win the Big East tournament,
01:23and then let's see how good we are.
01:29And off we go.
01:31For these two teams, folks,
01:32the last stop before the Big East tournament.
01:34That's a three-pointer by one of the seniors here on Senior Day.
01:40R.J. Lewis Jr. hanging, gets his own miss, puts it home.
01:50Three-pointer by Camp Joe.
01:52Senior Dayvon Smith has aggravated his nagging shoulder injury
01:56and is not playing, giving sophomore Simeon Wiltshire
01:59one more chance at extended playing time.
02:09Wiltshire, bottom of the deck.
02:11Even St. John's an early start.
02:15Here's Jones, and the NBA leads in the NBA round of 16.
02:22Green and a tie at 13.
02:25Here's Stevie Mitchell again.
02:27His hands are waving quick.
02:29Ross, right down the line.
02:46And Jafour powers it up and in.
02:49It's been all about getting to the rim.
02:52Wiltshire with a full head of Steve right to the rack.
02:57Up ahead, Ross!
02:59The home run!
03:07You know what the difference between you guys
03:09and the teams ahead of Kentucky and Louisville?
03:12Not talent.
03:13It's every bit as good, if not better.
03:15You don't listen, they do.
03:17I tell you, look, you must run back.
03:19And you didn't run back.
03:22If you don't listen, you got no shot!
03:24No shot! Zero!
03:32Now lead for Wiltshire.
03:34Simeon Wiltshire, nice bucket there
03:36at the rim to put St. John's back on top.
03:38All around, this may be Wiltshire's best game as a lead.
03:42Three-pointer drops down for Cam Jones.
03:46Richmond skid back.
03:48Scott, step back.
03:50Yes!
03:57Good cut by Lewis.
03:59And what a reverse by Lewis!
04:02Kedari Richmond, that's the last thing St. John's needs right now.
04:06Some discomfort in that thumb.
04:08St. John's down by two.
04:10Shot clock off.
04:1217 to go.
04:14St. John's got to get to the rim here.
04:16Put the onus on the defense.
04:18Lewis inside.
04:20Yes!
04:22And we're knotted at 75.
04:24No timeouts for Marquette.
04:26Ben Gold, three seconds for the win.
04:28St. John's down by two.
04:30Shot clock off.
04:3217 to go.
04:34St. John's got to get to the rim here.
04:3630 seconds for the win!
04:38No! Mitchell flying in!
04:41Zuby makes a great stop to force overtime,
04:44where reserve center Vince Iwuchukwu steps up
04:47and continues the defensive pressure.
04:53Joplin, onto the shot fake.
04:55Out of the pivot foot.
04:57Needs a throw, but he throws it away.
05:00Shot by Iwuchukwu, stepping up right there.
05:03Here we go.
05:05Shot clock off.
05:07The Johnnies with a chance to win it.
05:09They have no timeouts.
05:11It's going to be this guy right here.
05:13This is R.J. Lewis' game to win.
05:15The likely Big East Player of the Year.
05:17He pulls from distance.
05:19Missed it.
05:21With a rebound.
05:23Oh!
05:25St. John's at the buzzer!
05:29Unbelievable!
05:31It's Qadari Richman who knocks it free.
05:33Simeon Wilcher makes the play.
05:35And Zuby Ejiofor floats it up with touch.
05:38What a play!
05:56That was sim!
05:58That was awesome.
06:01This football is fucking awesome!
06:03We know how important this game was.
06:05We all trusted each other.
06:07We all worked super hard at the end of the game just to come up with the dug.
06:09We're going to play to the end of the buzzer, man.
06:11No matter if it's pretty or ugly.
06:13We're just going to get it done.
06:15There's not a whole lot to say except wow.
06:17Probably my favorite winner of the season by far.
06:19We played this game like I told them.
06:21You're one and done.
06:23You lose this game, the season's over.
06:25That's the way you got to play it to prepare for March Madness.
06:27And they did a fabulous job.
06:29Just a tough-ass team.
06:31But will this team be tough enough
06:33to perform under the bright lights
06:35of a late-night TV studio?
06:39That's Lionel Richie.
06:41We just came across Lionel Richie
06:43as we were walking by.
06:45And the players didn't know who he was.
06:47Then I played one of his songs
06:49and they knew it.
06:51While Rick is the main guest on the Tonight Show,
06:53the whole team was invited to be part of the fun
06:55by appearing in a skit
06:57that will open the show.
06:59Jimmy's going to be saying the line
07:01and then we're going to be saying the line as a team.
07:03I don't know too much about the details
07:05but we're going to see.
07:07Come on.
07:09Come on, bro.
07:11Come on, man.
07:21While the team waits
07:23for their shoot to begin,
07:26an influencer, Kai Sanat,
07:28drops by the green room
07:30to hang out with the players
07:32and wish them success
07:34in the upcoming Big East tournament.
07:36Nice to meet y'all though.
07:38Appreciate y'all, y'all.
07:40We just seen Kai Sanat.
07:42He just came in here.
07:44That's pretty cool.
07:46I watch him all the time.
07:48Thank you so much for doing this.
07:50How you doing?
07:52Nice to see you, bud.
07:54Thank you for being here.
07:56We got you a jersey on behalf of the players.
07:58Are you kidding me?
08:00Come on, buddy.
08:02Are you kidding me?
08:04This is unbelievable.
08:06I don't think my Kentucky
08:08or Louisville teams ever got this attention
08:10but they didn't reside in New York.
08:12When you're New York's team,
08:14you have the potential of getting more publicity
08:16than any team in America
08:18because this is the media capital of the world.
08:20You have a great team.
08:23When you need that little extra two minutes of energy,
08:25when the tank is empty,
08:27just think about the Tonight Show
08:29in New York and just go,
08:31yeah, let's go!
08:33One, two, three, let's go!
08:35Yeah, Johnny!
08:39Good?
08:43We're going to have fun out there.
08:45The best.
08:47And then I'm going to take you up on Wingfoot.
08:49Please, anything.
08:51To celebrate the Red Storm,
08:53Jimmy sings a sea shanty
08:55backed by the entire team and their coach.
09:05Can I call you Coach?
09:07Call me Eddie.
09:09Okay, good.
09:11Thank you so much for being here.
09:13Congratulations.
09:15St. John's has won their first outright Big East title
09:17in 40 years.
09:19You've coached all over the world.
09:21Can you talk about why winning in New York
09:23feels different?
09:25Well, I coached the Knicks in my 30s.
09:27Yeah, of course.
09:2940 years ago,
09:31when they won the Big East,
09:33I was named the Providence coach
09:35and coached against Luke Honeysucker
09:37the following year.
09:39I'm coaching 50 years.
09:41Is that right?
09:43I just turned 101.
09:45Oh, my gosh.
09:48You started, yeah.
09:50If you're successful in New York,
09:52big things will occur.
09:54It's also the opposite when you lose.
09:56Go, get it out.
09:58And from here on out,
10:00losing isn't an option if they want to achieve all their goals.
10:02Next on the list
10:04is winning the Big East tournament.
10:06You stood in the corner.
10:08If you're not going to the glass, get back.
10:14There's something special in New York.
10:16St. John's has
10:18this sort of intensity,
10:20toughness,
10:22swagger
10:24to go deep into March.
10:26They're profiling to be a second weekend
10:28or a Final 14.
10:30The one thing
10:32about the media and about people
10:34is they're always trying to live in the future.
10:36We're preparing for March,
10:38but you've got to understand
10:40it's good to prepare for the future,
10:42but you've got to live in the present.
10:44It goes by quick.
10:46And quick
10:48is relative.
10:50Earlier this season, the St. John's community
10:52lost one of the school and games living
10:54legends just prior to celebrating his
10:56100th birthday.
10:58Unfortunately, we had to start
11:00on a somber note.
11:02We found out the devastating news that Hall of Fame coach,
11:04the patriarch of St. John's basketball,
11:06Lou Karnaceka,
11:08passed away at the age of 99.
11:10And it's over!
11:12St. John's wins its second
11:14Big East title in four years.
11:24During his 24 years coaching
11:26at St. John's, Lou Karnaceka
11:28won 526 games,
11:30two Big East titles, and took the team
11:32to the 1985 Final Four.
11:34But beyond his accomplishments
11:36on the court, Coach Lou
11:38was the iconic heart and soul of St. John's
11:40basketball.
11:44Any room or gym he walked into,
11:46any sideline he captained,
11:48you could tell he had something special about him.
11:50He was always there for me,
11:52honest and direct,
11:54but also with care
11:56and love.
11:58PJ Calissimo had the best quote about Lou. He said,
12:00Lou Karnaceka made you proud
12:02to be in the coaching profession
12:04because of the type of person he is.
12:06He is about all the right
12:08things in the game of basketball
12:10and certainly his
12:12name is synonymous with St. John's.
12:18Lou was like a father to me.
12:20You know, he told me stuff
12:22outside of basketball that
12:24was great for my future
12:26and my life now.
12:28He meant so much to New York City basketball,
12:30to basketball overall.
12:32Talking about someone that was still reaching out to
12:34players at 98 years old,
12:36I'm receiving phone calls from
12:38Lou Karnaceka, you know, just to find out
12:40how I'm doing.
12:42Okay, now,
12:44all these dudes that came back to honor Lou Karnaceka,
12:46that St. John's name
12:48means something to them. If you want
12:50someday the name on the back
12:52to prosper, you got to play for the
12:54name on the front, whether you're on the bench
12:56or you're on the court. The name on the front's
12:58got to kill it tonight. Let's get it.
13:02Let us pray. We remember
13:04and we celebrated Lou Karnaceka's
13:06life. One of the things he's always said,
13:08give it your best shot today.
13:10Give it your best shot, and then
13:12we will do well. So we pray
13:14for the heart of who we are at St. John's
13:16University. Amen.
13:18Amen. Amen.
13:20Amen. Amen.
13:28Louie wore the ugliest sweaters,
13:30same pair of pants
13:32for probably 25 years.
13:36But as far as coaching,
13:38as far as the type of person,
13:40no better in the game.
13:48The Hall of Fame coach, Lou Karnaceka,
13:50was the all-time
13:52wins leader here, and Rick Pitino wears
13:54his sweater in his honor.
14:02Rejected by Richmond,
14:04Smith up ahead,
14:06rising at six foot
14:08to throw it down.
14:10Scott,
14:12oh boy.
14:18Now,
14:20and Jaffar, my,
14:22they are homing.
14:32The players tonight just played
14:34with tremendous heart.
14:36They really did Lou proud,
14:38did me proud, the fans, all the
14:40ex-players, you know, who came
14:42back, and that's exciting.
14:44On a day where they honored
14:46the Hall of Fame coach, Lou Karnaceka,
14:48it's St. John's winning,
14:50going away 88
14:52to 71. Louie Karnaceka
14:54looking down, they've got to be thrilled.
14:56I coached against
14:58Louie Karnaceka 40 years ago,
15:00and it's been a long
15:02journey,
15:04and I know that someday
15:06this ends.
15:08Good, excellent,
15:10excellent, excellent.
15:12So, like I do every year for 20
15:14some odd years, after the season I'll take
15:16a couple of weeks and say, hey, you want to do
15:18this again? And that's the way you look at it.
15:20Do I want to
15:22look at just
15:24chilling out a little bit and doing
15:26something I've never done, enjoy the grandchildren,
15:28but who knows if it's
15:30now. I can't ever see you
15:32chilling out. Yeah.
15:34It'd be nice to try
15:36though.
15:44Okay, as you all remember,
15:46Butler and Providence
15:48were all close games.
15:50You must do something about the transition defense.
15:52You're running, you're hustling back,
15:54but you don't see the ball.
15:56You have to do something about this
15:58problem.
16:00With the Big East tournament two days
16:02away, St. John's is the number
16:04one seed and has earned a bye for the first
16:06round. Not knowing who they are
16:08facing in the second round, the team
16:10must prepare to face either Butler
16:12or Providence. All right, let's go to
16:14Butler.
16:16Stop.
16:18You got to go with your man
16:20because he's popping out.
16:22Only when he crosses do you switch. That's how you
16:24get burned.
16:28Vince, Vince, you got to see that.
16:30Everything was great, but you lost
16:32sight of the ball.
16:34All right, take it out. Get in a white
16:36against Providence's press offense.
16:40Get open.
16:42Good.
16:44They're focused in.
16:46They think that they have good leadership.
16:48We're very talented.
16:50And we've grown. Everybody's grown.
16:52We're not on a magical run.
16:54Our run is good
16:56old hard work
16:58and earning it the old-fashioned way.
17:02St. John's tie the
17:0485-86 team for the most
17:06wins in a regular season
17:08as they take all this momentum
17:10into the start
17:12of the Big East
17:14tournament.
17:16The Big East is special. The Big East
17:18is Madison Square Garden.
17:20The Big East is vital
17:22to the fabric of college basketball.
17:24It's one of the best tournaments in the world.
17:26You could just feel the energy coming from the
17:28floor at the Big East tournament when you play there.
17:30With Butler pulling off the upset
17:32against Providence in round one,
17:34the Red Storm now know who their first
17:36opponent will be.
17:38In the Big East, the drama
17:40is picking up. St. John's
17:42hasn't won in 25 years.
17:44Now it's about making it happen.
17:47This is our time
17:49to win this tournament.
17:51It's our time.
17:53And it's not going to happen
17:55just from one or two or three
17:57guys. It's got to be the entire team
17:59bringing it to a new level.
18:01Play fast.
18:03That's their weakness. Keep them off the glass.
18:05That's their strength.
18:07Run it down their faces. Get to the rim.
18:09Get the offensive rebound.
18:11We are the champions.
18:13We've got to play like champions.
18:16How hard are you going to play?
18:18How focused are you going to be?
18:20How hungry will you play?
18:22They think they can play with us.
18:24Show them they cannot be in the same arena
18:26with us.
18:30St. John's,
18:32number one seed in the Big East tournament for the first time
18:34in 39 years. And we'll see how they
18:36can keep it rolling. It's a zoned look
18:38defensively for Butler. It makes it that much more
18:40manageable for the turnover.
18:43For many St. John's
18:45players, this is their first taste of the
18:47postseason. And the team comes
18:49out tight, but the early game jitters
18:51do not last long.
18:57Scott hits the three.
18:59Gets the score and started.
19:01The response, not there.
19:07That's a nice take to the bucket
19:09for Wilter.
19:11Scott with the board.
19:13They leave the open man.
19:15It is Lewis in the corner.
19:17It's a 15-0
19:19St. John's run.
19:23Play team basketball
19:25in offense. Get open and cut.
19:27No highlight plays. Fundamental
19:29plays each time.
19:31Rick knows that a big lead can
19:33lead to a lapse in focus. And
19:35despite his words, that is exactly
19:37what happens.
19:39Just trying to find
19:41any space, and he banks it in.
19:51On target with a triple.
19:53Wilter,
19:55too strong.
19:59McCaffrey, deep one.
20:01Nothing but the bottom.
20:03And here we are. We've got a game.
20:10After letting their 23-point
20:12lead on Butler get cut to eight,
20:14St. John's reasserts itself.
20:19Turnover.
20:21Richmond
20:23looking to run the break.
20:33An 8-0 run
20:35to get it back to 16.
20:40Iwuchukwu
20:42physical.
20:46St. John's takes over,
20:48despite co-captain Zubi Ejiofor
20:50contributing a mere 4 points
20:52and 7 rebounds.
20:56Lewis comes up short. Ejiofor
20:58can't can it.
21:00Now 5-on-4 with Ejiofor
21:02late to recover. Chatting with the officials
21:04on his way down the floor.
21:09Zubi can't hide the personal frustration.
21:13And that'll do it.
21:15The Johnnies to advance to the
21:17semis in the Big East Tournament.
21:21You've got to understand that if you're not
21:23playing well that night, you've got to keep your
21:25captain leadership, and you've got to have
21:27enthusiasm for your teammates.
21:29You can't think at all
21:31about your failings. It's not about you.
21:33It's about the team. That's what a great
21:35leader does.
21:39Look,
21:41as a basketball player,
21:43sometimes you're going to be disappointed.
21:47But I think you better
21:49have incredible gratitude
21:51for these moments,
21:53because you're being blessed.
21:55And, you know, it doesn't last.
21:59For 7'1 junior
22:01Vincent Iwuchukwu, gratitude
22:03and feeling blessed is something he brings
22:05to the table.
22:07Back in 2022,
22:09while still a Trojan,
22:11Vince suffered a near-death experience
22:13that will alter not just his basketball
22:15career, but forever change his
22:17outlook on life.
22:21We had a workout,
22:23and I was feeling a little funny.
22:25I was like, ah, I'm kind of tired.
22:27I sat on the bench,
22:29and then the room
22:31just started spitting.
22:33And I was like,
22:35and then the room just started spitting.
22:39The last thing I saw was my coach coming towards me,
22:41and then I had passed out.
22:45And
22:47when I regained consciousness,
22:49in my head I was like,
22:51did I just have a heart attack?
22:55Vince learned that his heart had stopped for almost
22:57a minute before paramedics resuscitated him.
22:59At the hospital,
23:01doctors told Vince that due to his cardiac
23:03arrest, he had to stop playing
23:05basketball.
23:09What do I do now?
23:11I was in a dark place, for sure.
23:13You know, suicidal thoughts.
23:17But I had people there to
23:19comfort me, make sure I was okay.
23:23It took eight months
23:25before doctors cleared Vince to get back on the
23:27court. He played at USC
23:29for two seasons before Coach Patino
23:31sent him to St. John's.
23:41Perspective does change when things like that happen.
23:43It teaches you
23:45to enjoy the everyday
23:47moments.
23:49You take less things for granted.
23:51Vince,
23:53when he's throwing it to you, they're going to know the play.
23:55Run it into your hands.
23:57Every moment is cherishable
23:59because you just don't know when it's going to end.
24:03St. John's,
24:05you were going up in major weight class
24:07on Friday against Marquette.
24:09Marquette can shoot it.
24:11I think they're dangerous. Marquette and St. John's
24:13played a great game on Saturday
24:15that St. John's won in dramatic fashion.
24:19They now need to
24:21lock in another level.
24:23They
24:25don't have a great rim protector
24:27or presence at the rim, and a harder
24:29Zuby and Vince and Ruben roll
24:31will get opportunities to finish at the rim.
24:33They are physically a tough team,
24:35but we're tougher.
24:37It's going to be a bloodbath the entire night.
24:39This is championship time now.
24:41You have to be the tougher team.
24:49With the pressure,
24:51attention, and stakes all increasing,
24:53the second round matchup
24:55against Marquette is Zuby's chance
24:57to step up and apply the tough love
24:59Coach Patino delivered to him
25:01after his lackluster performance against Butler.
25:03Let's make it special, man.
25:05Come on, y'all. Still got a lot more to prove, y'all.
25:07This shit going to be easy.
25:09We got to go out there and take that shit. Let's go.
25:11Let's get it. Together on three. One, two, three.
25:13Let's get it.
25:15We're all ready to go.
25:17Top seed, Red Storm
25:19against the Marquette
25:21Golden Eagles.
25:23Try to slap everything. Get back defensively.
25:25We are the better team.
25:27Outwork them at everything.
25:29Guess what? The Golden Eagles,
25:316-0 versus the Johnnies
25:33in Big East Tournament
25:35Games.
25:39Richmond, R.J. Lewis,
25:41and the Marquette Golden Eagles
25:43Richmond, R.J. Lewis
25:45puts it on the deck, has it stripped.
25:47Ross, he's got gold.
25:49Ball knocked away
25:51by Scott. Blues picked up.
25:53M and N for Joplin.
26:01Dan Jones.
26:058-2 Marquette.
26:07Baseline, Wilshire.
26:09And a steal.
26:11Mitchell to Jones.
26:13He'll fire. Oh, nice hesitation.
26:15Gets to the hole. Double punt.
26:17Scoop. And in with English.
26:21Scott for three.
26:23Air ball.
26:29In the corner, Chase Ross, lefty.
26:31And knocks down a triple.
26:33They push it ahead to Joplin.
26:39Jones, straight away.
26:41Bam. Uh-oh.
26:43Killa. Cam.
26:45Oh. Fire.
26:47R to beat a team
26:49three times.
26:53Joplin on the steal.
26:55And foul.
26:578-0 run now for the Golden Eagles.
26:5922-9.
27:03Mismatch inside. Into Ford.
27:05Mitchell trying to find him.
27:07And a steal. Joplin.
27:09They threw it right to him. Six turnovers
27:11for the Red Storm.
27:13Joplin around the world.
27:15Off the glass. Straight away it is.
27:17Number one seed.
27:19St. John's in trouble.
27:27Guys, be ready for
27:29pressure on every play.
27:31Don't lose the guy in the corner now.
27:33And don't give him a three.
27:35One, two, three.
27:37St. John's chose the semifinal
27:39game against Marquette to face
27:41its biggest deficit at home this season.
27:43Coach Pitino knows the team's
27:45road back runs through their defense.
27:51St. John's. Ross.
27:53Rebounded.
27:55Lewis.
27:59Inside. Steal.
28:01Edge of court. Easy.
28:05Baseline. Lewis.
28:07Rebound. Richman.
28:09And one.
28:11St. John's reeling them in.
28:15Jones. Teardrop. Short.
28:17Nice rebound.
28:19Kedari Richman. He'll bring it up the floor
28:21with the left hand. Gets to the bucket off the glass.
28:27Three-point game.
28:29Joplin. Turns it over.
28:31Richman. Convoy.
28:33Baseline. Nice look.
28:35Sadiko Ibenayo
28:37with a beautiful pass.
28:41And that's the end of the first half.
28:47We know this is going to be a very close ball game.
28:49We've got to make the right defensive plays.
28:51We're good in transition. We're five to seven
28:53in transition. Get out and run off your
28:55defense. It's our game.
29:03Two to shoot.
29:05Three to shoot.
29:11Lewis. Puts his head down.
29:13Lost it. Gets it back.
29:15On the dive. Squirts out of edge of court.
29:17Johnny on the spot.
29:19Off the dribble.
29:21Bam Jones.
29:23And he'll get the bounce.
29:25Still got the hot hand.
29:27Scott again.
29:29This time he bears it.
29:33And a collision in the paint.
29:35Starting to get physical up there.
29:41Stevie Mitchell deep.
29:43Defense tightening up.
29:45Marquette getting a little shaky.
29:49Another big time jumper.
29:51This time Aaron Scott.
29:53You're the best condition team in the country.
29:55Be like starving dogs on that fucking end.
29:57Every loose ball.
29:59Every rebound.
30:01Then the team's leader Zubi Ejiofor
30:03speaks up to rally his teammates.
30:05This is what happens when we get stops
30:07and we run it.
30:09Everybody dig in deeper.
30:11Come on y'all.
30:13Together. Together on three.
30:15One, two, three.
30:19Joplin drives.
30:21Joplin drives.
30:23Rejected.
30:25Defense for St. John's.
30:27Sweltering.
30:29Tried to explode on the baseline.
30:31Cut off. Double team.
30:33And turns it over.
30:35RJ Lewis and he is
30:37tackled. First down.
30:43Off inside edge of court.
30:45Great catch.
30:48Ten point lead now
30:50for the Red Storm.
30:52Danger zone for Marquette.
30:56Lewis
30:58in attack mode.
31:00Spinning. Nice look.
31:02Ejiofor in an easy flush.
31:04St. John's just overwhelming.
31:06Gadari Richmond.
31:08Nice deal.
31:10Red Storm
31:12rising.
31:14Enable advance
31:16to the Big East Tournament title game.
31:20Zuby was so big for you tonight.
31:22Why is he so hard to handle?
31:24Because he's very strong obviously.
31:26He's a consummate team guy.
31:28He's gone from a reserve
31:30that hardly played in Kansas
31:32to a star here in the Big East.
31:42I told Zuby last night, I'm in Texas
31:44and Zuby, you're a leader in this team
31:46and you can't do what you did yesterday.
31:48Hanging your head. He didn't hang his head tonight.
31:50He fucking crushed him.
32:06The next morning,
32:08the Johnnies are prepping for the championship game.
32:10RJ Lewis, the team's leading
32:12scorer and Big East Player of the Year
32:14knows he might be in the same situation
32:16he faced in the regular season finale.
32:24Fortunately, his teammates were there
32:26when his shot didn't fall.
32:34When it comes to March, I'm like a newborn baby.
32:36I ain't experienced nothing yet
32:38so I gotta listen to the coaches
32:40that I've gone through so
32:42I'm just trying to soak it all in.
32:46The month of March,
32:48it could change your life.
32:50Assistant coach
32:52Taliq Brown is speaking from experience.
32:54In 2004, he hit
32:56one of the biggest game-winning shots
32:58in Big East tournament history.
33:00Then helped lead the Connecticut Huskies
33:02to the national championship.
33:10Shot clock at two.
33:16Guys know I've been through all the wars
33:18so they want to get to where I've been at.
33:24He was like right here.
33:26Coach Taliq breaks down for RJ
33:28how he created the separation needed
33:30to make that game-winning shot.
33:41Everybody grow up
33:43playing in the playgrounds
33:45just practicing that big time shot.
33:47And we just gotta be ready
33:49for that moment
33:51when it's his time to take over the game.
33:55It's cool bro, I do this.
33:57I do this, it's life.
33:59It's life.
34:11This is such
34:13an important year.
34:15It's become such a magic carpet ride
34:17year for Patino and
34:19St. John's that they
34:21want everything to fall into place
34:23and this is how it can fall
34:25into place. For them to carry
34:27the trophy, to cut down
34:29the nets at Madison Square Garden,
34:31to win the Big East tournament.
34:33Alright guys, you know
34:35what you have to do, get out there and just play your asses off.
34:37I got all the confidence in the world
34:39you're going to win a championship. You've won the regular
34:41season, there's not even a little doubt in my mind
34:43you're taking this fucking.
34:51With St. John's once again
34:53the pride of New York City, the team
34:55is one win away from bringing the school
34:57it's first Big East tournament title
34:59in 25 years.
35:01It will also
35:03boost their ultimate goal, winning
35:05the national championship.
35:07Standing in their way is a Creighton team
35:09determined to spoil the ending of St.
35:11John's fairytale season.
35:15And we're underway from the garden.
35:17You feel it Gus?
35:19Yes.
35:21The energy in here is so electric.
35:23R.J. Lewis
35:25back door
35:27edge of four, can't hold on
35:29and the Red Storm turn it over.
35:31Now Scott
35:33playing with a tender thumb.
35:39McAndrews
35:41needs to hit some.
35:43Lewis
35:45pull up jumper
35:47mid-range
35:49can't get that ball to go
35:51into the bucket.
36:01Take the three.
36:05Creighton has elected
36:07to keep their defensive star
36:097'1 center Ryan Kalkbrenner
36:11near the basket at all times.
36:13Leaving St. John's big man
36:15Zuby edge of four wide open
36:17to shoot from the outside.
36:19Edge of four.
36:23The strategy has thrown Zuby
36:25making him hesitant to shoot.
36:31Edge of four.
36:33They've been daring him to take that shot.
36:35He drives.
36:37St. John's have to be able to make shots
36:39especially with Ryan Kalkbrenner
36:41when he's in that drop defense.
36:43Rick calls on reserve captain
36:45Siddiqui of BNIO
36:47to try to make Creighton
36:49pay for the strategy.
36:51Even IO.
36:55St. John's
36:57responding.
36:59Ashworth
37:01on top.
37:03Three.
37:05And the follow.
37:11Backdoor edge of four.
37:13Zuby.
37:21Backdoor Lewis
37:23blocked by Kalkbrenner.
37:25Get out of here.
37:27Kalkbrenner. Get out of here.
37:35They're going to go to Kalkbrenner
37:37or they're going to milk that pick and roll.
37:39Kalkbrenner
37:41has given St. John's trouble on both
37:43ends of the court intimidating shooters
37:45as well as having his way offensively
37:47down low.
37:49Kalkbrenner with an easy jam.
37:51Kalkbrenner great catch. Hold it up.
37:58Rick decides
38:00to bring in Vince Iwuchukwu
38:02to battle the big man inside.
38:06Ryan Kalkbrenner
38:08looking for more touches.
38:10See if they get it to him.
38:12Iwuchukwu, he's at incredible size.
38:14Seven-one.
38:16Keeping his hands high.
38:28Baseline.
38:30Steven Ayo
38:32and he buries a triple.
38:34The second one.
38:36Look at St. John's
38:38extending their defense.
38:43Tells the crowd
38:45calm down a little bit.
38:47And that's the end
38:49of the first half.
38:58Zuby, I told you
39:00a hundred times. You're going to have to
39:02take the shot, son. You've got to take
39:04the shot. Because if you're going to sit back in the lane,
39:06you've got to burn his ass.
39:08You're letting him intimidate you too much.
39:10RJ, if you go
39:12to the rim and put your shoulder in jail,
39:14he can't cut through iron.
39:18RJ Lewis led the team
39:20in scoring this season, but in the first
39:22half, he managed only two points.
39:24With the Big East
39:26Championship in the balance,
39:28Rick urges his star to attack
39:30the final 20 minutes with aggression.
39:38Now Lewis, looking
39:40for his shot.
39:42RJ Lewis with four now.
39:46Asworth down the lane.
39:48Off the glass,
39:50no. Buckriner there.
39:52Count it and the bomb.
39:56Asworth.
39:58Eight to shoot.
40:00He lost it. Outlet. Richman.
40:02He's got Sweet Lou trailing.
40:04Double pump. Count it.
40:06Sweet Lou.
40:10RJ Lewis.
40:12Inside. Up and in.
40:20Baseline.
40:22RJ Lewis Jr.
40:24And he levels the game
40:26at 38. Here come the
40:28St. John's fans.
40:30Asworth lets him go.
40:32Air ball.
40:34Iwo Juku
40:36comes in. St. John's
40:38looking for their first lead tonight.
40:40Drop home.
40:42No! Iwo Juku.
40:44Take that!
40:50Richman again.
40:52And again. Reverse.
40:54Kandari taking over.
40:56Largest lead of the game for the Red Storm.
40:58Davon Smith.
41:00RJ
41:02Lewis.
41:06Edge of play.
41:08Okay, you're going to give it to me.
41:10I'm going to start taking it.
41:12Wilshire.
41:14Jack it down.
41:16All the way
41:18to the bucket.
41:20RJ Lewis comes out. He's got
41:2229-27
41:24in the second half.
41:26And he gets an
41:28ovation from the St. John's fans
41:30as well as Zuby.
41:34After 25 years.
41:40Let the celebration begin.
41:50St. John's fans,
41:52this is for you.
41:54You told me earlier you didn't know
41:56if you'd get another opportunity.
41:58What does this mean for you?
42:00Well, I saved the best for last.
42:10I finally got to, you know,
42:12cut a net down. I've never done it.
42:14If you know what I've been through,
42:16man, you just know it's the same.
42:18If you know what I've been through, man,
42:20you just know it's a blessing just to wake up in the morning.
42:22When I cut that net down, every
42:24hardship that I went through, man, it all went away.
42:26You know, as a little kid,
42:28dreaming about the special moments,
42:30seeing the guys cut the nets.
42:32Obviously, to do it myself is incredible.
42:38I don't believe in
42:40redemption. I believe in humility.
42:42I take life as one day at a time.
42:44I take it one game at a time.
42:46Two champions. Two times.
42:48We still got a lot more left in the tank
42:50and we still got the NCAA.
42:52Just can't wait to see
42:54where our seeding is and who our
42:56next opponent is going to be.
42:58I've lost in the first round. I've been to
43:00seven Final Fours. So we'll take it
43:02one game at a time and one possession
43:04at a time.
43:12One game.
43:14Survive and advance.
43:16It's such an
43:18exciting time.
43:20Fresh off their Big East tournament win,
43:22Rick Pitino hopes his team's
43:24resume is strong enough to earn a two-seed,
43:26which will give them a great advantage
43:28heading into the big dance.
43:30You want another big name coach?
43:32I do. Give me one, Adam.
43:34The two-seed is Rick Pitino and St. John.
43:44It's truly just a blessing to be a part of all this.
43:46It's truly amazing, but now we gotta
43:48go to work. We know who we play against and
43:50we're gonna focus for Thursday.