NEW YORK — Wearing a Dominican Republic flag like a cape and holding a championship trophy in one hand and the Big East tournament most outstanding player trophy in the other, RJ Luis Jr. was on top of the world Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
Actually, the St. John’s star was merely sitting on the rim, feet resting on the ladder the Red Storm had used to cut down the net after winning the program’s first Big East tournament title in 25 years.
“This has by far been like the most emotional, happiest week of my 22 years of existence,” said Luis, who was named Big East player of the year earlier this week. “This is great.”
Big East champ pic.twitter.com/hLExKcMnxT
— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoATH) March 16, 2025
Luis scored 27 of his 29 points in the second half and was the catalyst behind a decisive run in which Rick Pitino’s Red Storm made 14 straight shots to bury second-seeded Creighton 82-66 inside a raucous MSG.
Zuby Ejiofor scored 20 points for top-seeded St. John’s, and this season’s most prized transfer portal addition, Kadary Richmond, had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Luis and Ejiofor were two of last year’s transfers to Pitino’s first team. That squad went 20-13 and finished strong but not quite well enough to make the NCAA Tournament.
Neither Luis (from UMass) nor Ejiofor (from Kansas) were considered big-time gets for St. John’s the way Richmond was after being an all-Big East player at Seton Hall. Both spent most of the 2023-24 season as role players, improving as the team did.
“I think that neither guy was heavily recruited. Neither guy had great seasons where they were, but after working both of them out, I thought they both had great potential as basketball players, could get a lot better,” Pitino said. “Did I expect them to reach these heights? I didn’t really think about it, but I have great gratitude that they did because we won a regular season and a Big East championship because of their play.”
The Garden crowd showered Luis with “M-V-P” chants as he drained late free throws to preserve the lead and let out a long “Zuuuuuuuuuu” as Ejiofor ended his night with 47 seconds left. Luis broke Chris Mullin’s 1985 school record for Big East championship game scoring.
As college basketball requires these days, Pitino has leaned into the portal to fuel yet another quick turnaround in a five-decade career full of them. He has also embraced the name, image and likeness era. But he insisted St. John’s isn’t simply the best team money can buy.
“You don’t know what you are getting. Zuby didn’t even play at Kansas. RJ was a good freshman, solid, but you don’t know what you are getting,” Pitino said. “So here’s two stars, very underpaid.”
Pitino suggested with a smile that both would likely be looking for a raise, and added, “So you build a team by making sure you understand the whole puzzle of what goes into it, and people just mischaracterize the NIL and why St. John’s has been built. St. John’s didn’t get built by the NIL. St. John’s got built with character of the players, and certainly we are excited to have these young men.”
Steve Masiello, who has been Pitino’s top assistant for years, said Luis and Ejiofor turning into all-Big East players has been the most important development of the season for St. John’s. They also played a key role in onboarding this year’s newcomers, including Richmond, Aaron Scott and Deivon Smith.
The 72-year-old Pitino is demanding. Practices and workouts can be grueling. Masiello said Luis and Ejiofor acted as Pitino translators for the new guys, explaining how the grind will pay off if they stick with it and trust the process.
“So when you have guys that have been through it, can help the (new) guys through it, what to do, what not to do, and when those are some of your best players, it’s special,” Masiello said.
It led to a night at MSG that St. John’s hasn’t had in a long time.
With Spike Lee decked out in red courtside, the Red Storm (30-4) improved to 12-0 at the Garden, the Queens school’s home away from home, and will head into the NCAA Tournament likely as a No. 2 or 3 seed, their best since 2000.
In Pitino’s second season at St. John’s — his third stint in the Big East — the Red Storm have been a revelation, picked to finish fifth in the league but instead emphatically taking the regular season and tournament crowns. The Red Storm won three tournament games by an average of 17 points after winning the regular-season title by three games.
“They’ve had a remarkable year,” Creighton coach Greg McDermott said. “Dominated our league and pretty much saved their best for this conference tournament. They just wear into you over time.”
Creighton (24-10) fell to 0-5 in Big East title games since joining the conference in 2013. Ryan Kalkbrenner had 15 points and seven rebounds for the Bluejays, who will head to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season.
The Red Storm head into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six seasons, having lost just once in 20 games since the calendar flipped to 2025.
This is Pitino’s third Big East title after winning two with Louisville. He is the first coach to lead two Big East schools to tournament titles and, with the automatic NCAA bid locked up, the first to take six schools to the Big Dance, from Boston University in 1982 to St. John’s 43 years later.
“I am as a New Yorker about as proud as any person could be because, you know, when I hear St. John’s is New York’s team and we’re New York strong and we represent New York, that makes me feel awesome inside,” Pitino said. “So for New York, for St. John’s, to see that crowd tonight, it’s an extra special feeling for me.”
(Photo of RJ Luis Jr. shooting in the first half: Robert Deutsch / Imagn Images)