For the first time since 1999, the St. John’s University men’s basketball team is ranked inside the Associated Press Poll’s top 10.
Currently, on a 10-game win streak, featuring wins over No. 11 Marquette and No. 19 UConn in a three-night span last week, the Red Storm has climbed to No. 9 in the AP and No. 8 in the USA Today Coaches poll.
It improved their season record to 21-3 while keeping their perch atop the Big East at 12-1, just one game clear of Creighton.
St. John’s moved up three spots in the AP poll from last week and has moved up two spots in the USA Today poll, where they cracked the top 10 for the first time in 26 years.
A staunch defensive effort and physical play carried the Johnnies past Marquette on Feb. 4 at Madison Square Garden in a 70-64 win.
They then went into UConn, overturned a 14-point deficit by deploying a seldom-used full-court press for nearly the entire game, and stunned the two-time defending national champions 68-62.
“We’re playing great basketball right now, but our defense is one of the best in the country,” head coach Rick Pitino said. “We’re getting better offensively. So I’m happy. I’m happy with everybody… We’ve done a great job defensively of coming together each and every game. We know that’s our common denominator and I’m proud of this. [UConn] was a hell of a win for us. Marquette was a hell of a win.”
While St. John’s is allowing an average of just 65 points per game (28th in the nation), RJ Luis carried the Queens school’s attack, garnering Big East Player of the Week by averaging 19 points, nine rebounds, and two steals per game.
The Red Storm return to action on Wednesday at Villanova before returning to Madison Square Garden on Sunday for a massive tilt against No. 24/21 Creighton.
